LIVING THE DREAM (LTD)

I've had some fun with this over the last year or so, mainly on a diff' blog I used posting daily pics, memes, zingers... you name it .  Pick a time and place, have a great time .. and .. LTD!  Sometimes, just because....other times, to dig at others for a lil' fun.   But ....  all true .. all good.   I'm on the back end of this journey (my words once I went past age 50) and truly enjoying life; we all should shouldn't we?  Deep down, I've always had this attitude.... guess I just think about it more now than ever.

What is living the dream though?   Found myself floating in the pool this past weekend day dreaming on this subject; overthinking it as I do many things. With my life experiences I can easily sum up what happiness means to me.  I believe its true of most of us at some level.  

First, above ground financially.  I was going to say this differently but changed it multiple times to this verbiage.  What do I mean?  Simply, not in a bad place financially.  Not mired in debt.  Not stressed about one's financial situation.  In a perfect world, out of debt. I've written about this over the years, usually tied to Dave Ramsey teachings (7 baby steps).  Bottom line, when we are not worried about money our happiness goes up.  Simple as that.  I'm not talking about being rich.  I'm not talking about making a shit load.  I'm simply stating when we aren't worried about money on a daily (hourly?) basis .. .weekly basis .. our stress levels are reduced and our happiness levels increase.  I've been in the 'bad places' during my life time and it sucks.  I've lived paycheck to paycheck and stressed about the bills ... it sucks.  I've had the stupid levels of credit card debt and wondered how I'd ever pay them off ... it sucks.  But, when one experiences being 'above ground financially' ... I just made that up BTW ...  it's .... well... Living The Dream (LTD)?  I made that up a while back too  ....

Second, our Health.  This is somewhat cliche ... "all we have is our health" , blah blah .. we've all heard it.. but... it's true. How many people do we know that are morbidly obese?  How many of those folks do you know that are truly happy?  I've always said I don't care what people weigh, etc .. but .. if they aren't happy with themselves, DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!  Some folks I've known over the years claimed they were happy .. but then ...  after they go on a diet and drop weight ..... they tell the stories about how unhappy they were.  Then sadly, most go back to that weight again. Sad.   Hell, I'm a notch guilty.  I've been at my current weight now for over 15 years; its become my norm.   I'm okay with it.  I've gotten used to it.  I wonder sometimes if this will be my weight 'forever'.  But....  those that know me...  know I wouldn't mind being at a lower weight.  Better shape .  But, it honestly doesn't affect my happiness.  But, I am becoming aware .. . it's possibly affecting my .. 'health'?  And that .. has me re-looking at things a notch.  Because if my health goes, I can't "LTD" anymore as I do now.  My wife has been dealing with RA for well over two decades; it's affected her health, her lifestyle .. her happiness. But over the last year, she's found some solutions that have been life changing. Her quality of life is way better.  He happiness is at it's peak.  She has her 'health' back.  Our physical health, compliments our mental health.  Luckily I've piggy backed on some of this new knowledge and gotten similar benefits. This is the second part of the equation. Our Heath.

I believe those two simple things... allow us to Live the Dream?   But .. what is ... Living the Dream?   Now here is where more than a few might start thinking ... BS!   But, I honestly feel, believe this.....

Back to floating in the pool the other day.  Now, I'd never want to go 'backwards' but for the sake of the discussion ....   for the most part, I've always been 'happy' in life.  When I was in the military for a short stint, I lived in a Single Wide Trailer with a roommate.  I was content.  Our first home was a huge 792sq ft monster; I was happy and content. For a few years, I rode a 1000cc jap bike and I was happy and content.  When we moved to Texas I went all out and put up a 24' round 12,500 gal above ground pool, built a wooden deck around it with my own hands that summer .. and .. I was happy and content.   Had an old CJ Jeep and jap bike ....   was happy and content.  Point being, it wasn't the materiel things nor the size of my home and it's amenities that equated to my happiness levels.    I believe today if I had a tiny home on some land in a rural area, I'd be happy and content.  Give me a small cabin on a lake without close by neighbors.. I'd be happy and content. I could go on an on with a thousand examples ... of happiness and content and they all point at a way we  ... Live The Dream?   But take away those   requirements I list above (financial and health) .. and ...   whether you're living in a tent or a multi million dollar mansion .. well, life can suck.

Me today ... I'm Living The Dream.  Living my own version of it, different than most I guess but it works for me.  But ... even if I was doing something else for a living...   living somewhere else in this great country ..   I'd still be Living The Dream ... as long as I wasn't mired in debt and hobbling along with a body scarred by disease and misuse?  We can all be Living The Dream ... our own versions of whatever trips our trigger.  And if we're not ... shame on us.  Because if we just get our finances in order and our health in line...  what's not to love about life?

LIVE THE DREAM!