I follow a number of craftmans' blogs, and it has always struck me how Mustachian their outlook on life is. Although most of them do not have a huge stash that produces dividends to live off of, you get the distinct impression that their lives wouldn't change a whit even if they did have all the money they could ever need. They spend their days doing doing exactly what they want to do - creating, teaching, learning, and traveling. So it came as no surprise to me when
Robin Wood, a traditional bowl turner,
wrote a post that linked to
this article, entitled, "Five Ways to Well-Being". If you asked me for a quick summary of my view of Mustachianism, beyond "save money and spend it wisely", this would be pretty much spot-on:
From the article:
Connect
With the people around you. With family, friends, colleagues and neighbours. At home, work, school or in your local community. Think of these as the cornerstones of your life and invest time in developing them. building these connections will support and enrich you every day.
Be active
Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Cycle. Play a game. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Most importantly, discover a phsyical activity you enjoy and one that suits your level of mobility and fitness.
Take notice
Be curious. Catch sight of the beautiful. Remark on the unusual. Notice the changing seasons. Savour the moment, whether you are walking to work, eating lunch or talking to friends. Be aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Reflecting on your experiences will help you appreciate what matters to you.
Keep learning
Try something new. Rediscover an old interest. Sign up for that course. Take on a different responsibility at work. Fix a bike. Learn to play an instrument or how to cook your favourite food. Set a challenge you will enjoy achieving. Learning new things will make you more confident as well as being fun.
Give
Do something nice for a friend, or a stranger. Thanks someone. Smile. Volunteer your time. Join a community group. Look out as well as in. Seeing yourself, and your happiness, linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding and creates connections with the people around you.
I even love the tagline from the website: "Economics as if people and the planet mattered".
Happy Monday!
