“True luxury doesn’t land in our lap, pre-packaged, but rather through conscious living, self-awareness followed by an appreciation for quality, not quantity.” —TSLL post, July 2021

From having the time to just be still, to stepping onto a plane or train and having a seat with enough space to be entirely comfortable for the duration of the journey, luxury spans a wide breadth as to how we experience it in our daily lives and special occasions.

Over the years here on TSLL, the topic of true luxury has been shared and examined. In fact in TSLL’s 2nd book, the first chapter drills down on exactly what luxury is and subsequently what the term simply luxurious means. An introduction to understanding how we approach this term when it comes to living a life of contentment is shared in the post below.

A Simple Life Lived Well IS Luxurious Living, Let Me Explain . . .

Often shared in this conversation of pinpointing the definition of modern luxury is the concept of quiet luxury, something explored in this post which explains how living simply luxuriously indeed has overlapping defining concepts and distinctions. Keeping all of these ideas and definitions in mind, at the heart of luxury is being present enough to be aware of it so that we can savor it. It is in the act of savoring that we begin to realize how luxurious our everyday life can be, and beyond that when special occasions arise, how even more enriched and abundantly full of luxury they are beyond the details and ‘markers’ we are told defines luxury.

Today, as perhaps both a bit of a reminder, but also as a way to bring our attention to living consciously and not dismissing all that is luxurious in our modern day living, I wanted to shared 20 examples of what it may look like for each of us. Feel free to add your own examples in the comment section based on the definition mentioned above in the guiding quote of today’s post.

1. Intentional space between physical things

In other words, yep, the absence of clutter, but also intentionally choosing things that you love, value and placing them near each other, letting the space between highlight their beauty even more.

2. The ability, and putting it into practice, to control our mind and constructively direct it where we wish

As a result of regular, conscious mindfulness practice through meditation, being able to step back from our thoughts, observe them and consciously choose whether to keep engaging with a particular thought or not. This is a skill, and while it takes practice to be able to do it with ease, it is a skill that reduces stress, reduces unnecessary worry and ensures you are giving your attention and mind to what is worth your time.

3. Time to rest, and taking the time to do so

Slowing down, intentionally creating the balance between working diligently, and honoring boundaries in order to reenergize, by understanding the value in resting regularly, we acknowledge that life isn’t always about doing, but about being still as well.

4. Having the full presence without distraction of another person, and giving ours to others as well

Tucking your phone away and silencing it when you are at a gathering or participating in any event. Not using the phone as a crutch or an excuse requires us to choose events and places we really wish to be at and being brave enough to step away or say no when something or someone isn’t where we want to expend our energy. Luxury often arises following being brave, not accommodating, so that where we do choose to give our attention, we give it fully, and people notice this choice. So in this instance, luxury again follows the definition of choosing which doesn’t always mean it will be an easy choice, but understanding why we are making the choice, so that where we do give our full attention, we do so sincerely.

5. Being courageous enough to be kind, and to receive kindness from another

Arguably, kindness shouldn’t be a luxury, but perhaps how we return to it being more commonplace is to begin choosing to be kind in all that we do – our words (not nice, but kind – read this post) both to others, about others and to ourselves; our actions – toward others, planet Earth and to ourselves – self-care is a core need; and in any other way in which we extend ourselves or engage with the world. Because to be kind is to be courageous, so it isn’t often a default if we feel protective or scared or fearful in any way. But we can pull ourselves out of the reactionary behavior, exercise being the master of our mind, and choose kindness every single time.

6. Healthy, seasonal basic food items for nourishing everyday meals

I chose the photo at the top of the post because I know eggs are a treasured commodity at the moment. And I feel especially fortunate and deeply grateful to a local farm in Bend who provides eggs straight from their farm, unwashed (so they can sit out on the counter) all winter long via a CSA program. This is a luxury, and while it won’t always be available, knowing and being able to welcome it into my life and eating routine feels quite special. The same can be said for anytime we have access to seasonal produce and choose not to dismiss the opportunity to care for ourselves well when we can do so.

Winter is a difficult season for eating seasonally for many of us, but not impossible. It may take more forethought and planning, but the health benefits are worth the effort if we can expend it.

~Explore this detailed post/episode to discover how to eat seasonally year-round and make it as simple as possible.

7. Being able to choose what is a luxury, and welcome it into our life or experience it

Comfort that is intentionally achieved lies at the core of the definition of luxury. A concept, not a tangible thing, as is shared in the post mentioned above, and so when we have consciously chosen something that we know, or have a good idea, will bring us comfort, we put in the effort and invest the time and/or money to attain it. Once attained, we appreciate it all the more because it was not easily acquired, and because it brings us comfort we didn’t previously have. What that comfort is can only be defined by each of us.

8. A tailored sanctuary to how we live best in our daily life

A stack of books by your favorite reading chair to beckon you to cozy in and read and let go of the work day, or a completely bare side table so that your mind can relax and be calm when you return home. When we are able to customize our sanctuary to our needs – this can include the height of our countertops to fit our physical stature, to changing everything to suit someone who is left-handed versus right-handed, we begin to live in a home that fits us like the perfect size shoe and eliminate unnecessary stress. We are then able to be more fully engaged and present in the moment with renewed sources of energy.

episode #367, How to Create Décor that Welcomes & Comforts: How to Embrace the Ethos of Slow Decorating

9. A self-care routine that honors what we individually need

Having the time and the funds to give ourselves the self-care we need may initially seem to be a discretionary part of our life, but the good news is that self-care doesn’t have to involve oodles of money, or any money at all. Self-care begins with saying no without guilt when we need to trim our schedule so that what we choose to say yes to receives our best self. Self-care also includes prioritizing taking care of our health – what we eat, partaking in regular exercise, and engaging in an activity consistently that we love and that isn’t a responsibility or because of our role with the other people in our life (partner, parent, family member or friend). In other words, continue to nourish yourself as you need so that you can avoid burnout and be fully present to live well each day. This is self-care, and it often requires more courage than cash.

10. The ability to wake up without being told to do so

Whether no alarm is needed for you to wake up to begin your day, or you don’t need someone to nudge you to start your day because you cannot wait to begin your day due to loving the life you have the opportunity to live, when we are able to dictate when we wake up and step out of bed, that is a priceless luxury, especially in our modern day.

~Explore last Monday’s Motivational post to discover ideas for beginning your day well.

11. Having the ability to purchase a quality item (clothing, furniture, anything of value to you and your lifestyle)

It is a mistake to assume that just because a brand is defined as a luxury item, that it would be a luxury to everyone. The truth is, once we know how to live our own simply luxurious life, which will be unique to each of us based on what we value, what energizes us and our passions, a truly luxurious item is only one that enhances the quality of our life or makes us more capable of expressing our true selves.

Whether the pair of shoes is priced at $50 or $500, if you love it, if it sings to you, if you will treasure it because you not only found something that is tailored to the life you love living, but you also are keenly aware of the journey it took to be able to find and purchase it, that is a luxurious item. Let no one define what is or is not a luxury for you.

12. Being the master of how much technology plays a role in our life rather than led by trends

With all of the technological tools from monitoring our sleep to turning on everything imaginable in our homes, technology is only helpful if it simplifies our life. Too much is too much. One of the details of my stove is that it is entirely analog. I love that there are no buttons, no beeps. Everything I need to do to cook and bake with it is as it was decades ago. That is how I prefer it. And that is why knowing which technology elevates the quality of our lifestyle is key to making it luxurious or absolutely insanely crazy absurd.

13. Curating spaces in our life (at home, at work, etc.) where we feel at ease

As I listened to an interview with Nigel Slater (a British “cook who writes”) recently, an interview he was giving while in his home in London, one he has lived in for nearly 30 years, he shared that not once has he ever felt anxious in his home (as someone who does from time experience anxiety attacks). And as many TSLL readers know, he has thoughtfully curated and decorated his house, but it has taken years to do so. However, even before it reached the stage it is now, it is merely being in one’s own home, that brought the calm. To know that within these walls that are your home you can wholly relax and do what you need, give yourself what you yearn for to soothe, nourish and rejuvenate, our sanctuaries provide this opportunity and we can make it even more so by tending to the details that will comfort us each uniquely.

Often this involves paying attention to how we decorate for all of our senses. So often we focus on what we see – the colors for example, but what our home smells like to a new guest who walks over the threshold is powerful to our calm, moreso than we may realize until we pay conscious attention to this detail. And as Slater further shared, the scent isn’t something that comes from just one candle that we light or a bouquet of fresh flowers. Nope. It comes from the scent of the wood furniture we choose, what has been baking in the oven, all the little details, the age of the home, everything contributes.

And when we are able to tend to these details, we begin to feel as though we are living in a luxurious sanctuary to rest our being.

Why Not . . . Create a Sanctuary for Your Senses?

14. Financial freedom

Our financial situation will always be dynamic so long as we have money coming in and money going out, but having the peace of mind of being financial free, something talked about in-depth in episode #388, is the bedrock of living a life of contentment for it enables you to live in integrity and not compromise your values or dishonor your true self.

episode #388: Why Not . . . Become the CFO (Chief Financial Officer) of Your Own Life and Experience Financial Freedom for the Rest of Your Life? 14 Foundational Pieces

15. The ability to continually be learning

Whether being able to read books (purchase or check-out) when you want and how many you want, attend classes of interest or to improve your career position, travel where you want to explore and discover, or learning in any one of the many forms and mediums, when we have this opportunity, that is an gift, and one not to take for granted.

16. Knowing the difference between a simple luxury and an unnecessary extra, and choosing the former

A core detail of living a simply luxurious life is to savor the petit plaisirs we either welcome into our life or notice as we go through our day. When we choose to purchase for example a well-made dessert, we don’t need the slice to be grand because we know quality over quantity will satiate. We then are able to afford these simple luxuries because we don’t need a lot, just a taste (or two) to savor.

17. Being able to care for our skin in such a way that is tailored to our skin’s needs

Something that we regularly talk about here on TSLL as I am continually learning of all that is possible, available and worth purchasing, is skincare worth investing in and what really will make a difference positively. While it does take some trial and error, when you find what works for your skin, and are able to purchase the items you need (they need not be many, nor do some aspects have to be spendy), the feeling is as priceless as one can be even though we’ve paid money for it. 🙂

18. A slow day in which we can follow our energy and curiosities

Sometimes, if we are not accustomed or comfortable to having a day without appointments or places to be, such a day can be unsettling, but to the content and secure individual, such a day will be a gift to savor and not toss aside. Such a day is even exciting because it gives us the opportunity to heal or nourish ourselves as we need and also let our creativity have space to dance and share with us what it comes up with and us the ability to explore what it shares.

19. Listening to the music we most enjoy at the volume we prefer

Or maybe bathing in silence. Whatever you level or type of preferred ideal sound is, being able to do so, that, is a priceless luxury.

20. Knowing and experiencing real love and realizing that it all begins with being love in our everyday life

What a big aha to make and trust to be true, and then when we put this wisdom into practice, everything in our world changes for the better. Everything may not change immediately, but some aspects do (for example, our energy levels increase and our stress is reduced). When we begin to know what true love feels like, we realize first that it begins with how we engage with life; second, with the choices we make in how we accept being treated by others; and third, being able to give love without expectation beginning by exhibiting loving-kindness in how we engage with the world every day.

episode #360: How to Find Love: Be Love Instead of Looking for Love, as taught by Jay Shetty

Contrary to popular messaging, true luxury (and in our day and age, we would call it modern luxury), does not involve constant comparison and ‘one-upping’ someone else or wanting endlessly another new thing or wanting something better at all. Modern luxury is to have a choice, but also to have clarity about what living well beyond the surface of what our life looks like to the outer world. Instead modern luxury has to do with how well we feel at ease in our own company, and living a life that brings us fulfillment.

And while it will take time to experience some, if not many, of the luxuries listed in the above list, it is by knowing ourselves well, that we trust such luxuries will deepen the quality of our lives, further enabling us to live our dharma and contribute constructively to the larger world. Even more important, if you are able to experience any of these luxuries shared today, but perhaps have begun to take them for granted or become accustomed to being able to enjoy them, why not begin today or return to appreciating the powerful details that are part of your everyday life, each providing comfort and preserving, even creating energy giving you all the more reason to contribute what you can uniquely give.

Wishing you a wonderful start to the brand new week. May you savor the luxuries already in your life and be patient as you gradually reach the luxuries you no doubt will appreciate immensely when you are able to welcome them into your everyday.

~Learn more about TSLL’s Contentment Masterclass and how to live your own unique simply luxurious life.