Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. Marcus Aurelius
What is a good life?
When we usually speak about a good chair, a good meal, a good computer, a good car, a good house, a good coat etc. we mean stuff that are in good shape and meet the purpose for which they were created. But when we speak about a good life, opinions differ very much (in fact, they differ even when we speak about a good husband or a good wife ;): for some it may mean being happy, for others being famous or rich (or both, usually these two come in pack), or it is to fulfill all the good pleasures, having success, finding true love, doing what you love to do, you name it.
There is no doubt that the quality of our lives is largely determined by the quality of our feelings and emotions. A lot of researches showed that our relationships, behaviors, perception of reality, even our health are fundamentally influenced by our emotional state. In other words, positive feelings and emotions would bring about a sense of a good life, and negative feelings and emotions will determined what we call a bad life. In order to significantly decrease the level of stress and frustration in our lives, we usually engage in some pleasant activities which we expect to help us to balance the negative emotions with the positive ones. The more pleasant activities the more fulfilled we are.
Aristotle theory of a good life
Aristotle was very preoccupied about good life and he made an important point regarding this subject. For him, a good life is one full of all good things both for the body and for the soul. That means, having a good health, enough possessions to enjoy a good living, love, friendship, honor, virtues, happiness. He acknowledged that good luck plays an important role, because he considered that women, slaves and the lower classes of his time could not enjoy a good life due to their condition. And that was a bad luck in his opinion.
Being born a slave in ancient time was a permanent condition, one could not rescue himself from that. Also, good life depended much on being born in a relatively wealthy family or being in a good health, which not always was possible. Before our era, there were no doctors, no hospitals, no vaccination, no medical insurance, no medicines, no….no….no… . One could die because of a common flu or a small wound caused by a rusty metal.
Christian theory about what a good life means
“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” Apostle Paul
When Jesus Christ came on this earth as Son of God, he has raised the standard of a well-lived life, focusing not only on the 10 commandments, but on the positive emotional aspect of life, more specifically about love. Loving God, loving your neighbors, loving your friends, loving your enemies, loving your family, loving all human beings. Love is the cornerstone of a good Christian life. Without love, nothing of what a man does has value.
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Apostle Paul
Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Apostle Peter
Good life, today
Today, we cannot fully rely on Aristotle’s theory of good life, things radically changed (at least for a large part of the world) and having a good life is more in our hands. We don’t depend on external factors to the same extent that they depended that time. People born in poor families have more opportunities to overcome that condition and nobody is born slave. Women have not any restrictions today to living a good life. And there are remedies for many diseases and we can take care of our health more than ever in the history of mankind.
On the other hand, the Christian perspective about the meaning of good life is still actual today. Many believers in God live by the same golden rule and feel that their life is good.
But along with that, there are many other concepts about living a good life. Practically, every person who meditates on her life can reach a personal definition of a good life, depending on her values, goals, principles and what matter most for her.
We are blessed to live in a time when we have the freedom to choose how to live and what we want out of life.
What means a good life for me
In a nutshell: the liberty to do what I want when I want, to love and to be loved, financial independence and freedom of speech. Do I really ask much from life?!
What about you?
What means a good life for you?
P.P.S. I love you all!
🙂
I am young and learning and having a good life is definitely high on my priority list! I desire to only have individuals who are also looking to live a good life around me.
This gave me a lot to think about. Thank you.
A good life to me is being a servant to God. I am a missionary living in Ecuador at a children’s home. I love what you wrote. However. I see so much pain here. I see the kids that are born into horrifying families I see the lowest of poverty in the community I live in. Ecuador is a developing nation which dose not mean that much, sure there are wealthy people here but there is so much poverty the education system is horrendous and I would not say that women have equal rights or opportunities to men. So to say that the people here have an equal chances at happiness as me; A women born in a middle class family form the unites states with an education would be absurd. I really enjoyed reading your post very though provoking and well thought out.
Freedom to speak, freedom to love and freedom to learn. Financial freedom is also a big thing. I guess freedom in general is such an amazing thing. That’s a good life to me.
I’d define a good life as one that benefits yourself and others, making a contribution in a positive way to someone else’s life
A good life to me is being healthy, happy with the choices I make, seeing my babies grow through the years and being fair and just in all my encounters with everyone. Good read.
For me, good life is about being healthy, because if you are not healthy you will not be capable of doing the stuff that can keep you happy and content, work wise. And yes, to be able enjoy freedom always!
Very beautiful piece, this has made me question what my life should really look like if I want to fulfill a good life and happiness
I love this. Good life, to me, is finding fulfilment in the little you have…..finding satisfaction….each person has his/her own description of good life and ‘finding contentment’ is my own opinion…..that was Aristotle’s opinion…and no one is subject to anyone’s opinion 😉 I love the Christian description of good life…it says it all. Thanks for this wonderful post xx
I have indeed had a good life with my hubby off almost 50 years, 2 daughters, 7 grandchildren and 4 great grands. I hope and pray that all the grands have as good a life has I have.
A good life to me is good health, positivity and healthy family
Let’s all raise our glasses to not being born slaves during Aristotle’s time.. To Good Life!
Wonderful reading dear! Love the book you suggested, ”to love and be loved” did something to me. As for the good life to me: living healthy body and mind, surrounded by people who loves me and i love, doing things that matter to me and much more!
I need to start clinging to better things that make me live a better life! I need to get off the blogging and outside!! haha
I am extremely interested in that book and may have to give it a go because that is a good life for me. The people in my life make me happy. The people who I love and the people who love me in return are all I need to be happy (when I say people, I totally mean my pets too!)
Love this, very inspirational. The good life to me is all about family, love and health. xxx
Good life means to me doing the things I enjoy, living in the moment, taking care of myself and my loved ones and making sure everybody I love is as happy as they can be.
Good life for me means that I’ve got all the right people by my side. To be loved and love. I’m privileged to live in a country where things are okay. We’ve got a great school system, great health system and drinkable tap water. Living in a country like this makes the life good. Also, a good life for me means that I’m able to do what I want, go where I want and say what I want. To be free in my own way, even though I’m married and having a kid, I still feel free. I’m super tired while writing this, but being grateful of each day, having loving people around and roof on top of my head and food on the fridge, that’s a good life for me. I’ve lived a life where things like food and roof on top of our heads haven’t been always been there, so those are the things that I cherish now when I’m living on my own.
Wow, never knew so many theories around good life…I think, good life is abstract… the moment you get to what you thought is a good life, you want something else… whats important is that we are satisfied with what we have…