Recently I returned from a family vacation in my beloved Italy.
This was my third trip in several years.
There’s something magical about Italy for me- perhaps it’s the culture, or the architecture, or the history, and oh yes, there’s the incredible cuisine and vino, too.
Or perhaps it’s the combination of all those elements that makes Italy so intoxicating.
On this trip, we visited the Amalfi Coast- a first for me. Breathtaking, spectacular beauty:
One of the most incredible tour highlights was this tiny island off the coast of Positano, called Dolphin Island, for obvious reasons:
This unusual-looking island was once the home of famed Russian dancer, Rudolph Nureyev. The private home was owned by Nureyev until the late 1980’s, when it was sold to an Italian hotel owner, and is still private property. Nureyev’s original home decorations are still there. Nureyev Home Li Galli
However, you can still rent the place for the low, low price of $238,000 a week, or just $34,000 a night. Lest you think that to be an outrageous price, the cost includes accommodations for 12 people, with staff, service, catering, a salt water pool, and of course, your own private yacht! Seems reasonable…
That was tongue-in-cheek.
As I thought about this extravagance, I was struck by what some people value in terms of material things and even experiences, yet are so unwilling to invest in their greatest asset- themselves.
At a time in our economy where layoffs are pervasive, job dissatisfaction is at an all-time high for so many, and where people are searching to find meaning and purpose in their lives, they often look externally for solutions and fulfillment.
Not that there’s anything wrong with fabulous Italian vacations or outrageous splurges. Such opportunities are wonderful, indeed.
Yet it’s been my experience that, while many people won’t think twice about such indulgences that may feed both body and soul in the moment, they’re reluctant to invest in the life-long-lasting joy that comes from the journey of discovering their inner value, worth, and purpose for being here on this beautiful blue globe.
The journey of self-discovery is hard work, yet there is no greater reward or satisfaction than to live authentically and fully, to live life out loud, comfortable in the knowledge that one’s purpose is being fulfilled.
No sumptuous Italian feast, no glass (or two…) of Tignanello, not even a week (or more) on Dolphin Island can compare to the experience of loving living in one’s skin every single day.
It’s not a surprise that even the richest people on the planet are often unhappy in life, because their limitless wealth still cannot buy the simple, yet profound joy that comes from a life lived with true purpose.
So many long to have it, so few achieve it.
Because they’re looking in the wrong place.
“If you fail to go within, you will go without.” ~Neale Donald Walsch
What do you value?
Consider if the things you’re living for are worth the price you’re paying.
You can always make a different choice. It’s your greatest superpower, you know.
