Creating Your Ideal Life

Body | Mind | Soul

By Kelly Godbey

At Ideal-LIVING, we believe that everyone deserves to live their ideal life, and that every person is capable of finding and living that life regardless of money or stage in life. As editor of Ideal-LIVING magazine, I have had the good fortune to interview hundreds of people who have found their ideal lives and who have shared their process to find them. And, it all starts with envisioning what you’d like your ideal life to be.

Envision Your New Life

When I speak at the Ideal-LIVING Resort & Retirement Shows (see page 44), I start by asking the audience to tell me what they think their ideal life will be. Invariably, I get responses like “better climate,” “no more shoveling snow,” and “lower taxes.” While these are the top reasons many people decide to relocate, I would like you to dig deeper with your answers. Close your eyes and think about what a typical day in your new life might be.

Start by writing down what you’ll do from the moment you wake up ’til the moment your head hits the pillow. To live your life to the fullest, it’s important to feed your body, mind, and soul. For me, my ideal day begins with watching the sunrise from the ocean while paddleboarding where

I would see a dolphin or two. Then after an hour or two of that, I’d come home and go out to breakfast with my husband to meet friends. I’d still want to work as I love what I do and can do that from anywhere. I’d probably go for a bike ride in the afternoon and meet more friends for dinner, followed by watching the full moon rise out of the ocean. With this day, I get exercise, meditation, social interaction, and a sense of accomplishment. And to be honest, I have lot of these days.

Where You Live Affects How You Live

If you envision your ideal day starting with coffee overlooking the mountains or a lake, or maybe it’s being the first one to the golf course to play 18 rounds with your spouse, it is all possible. With interest rates as low as they are, it’s a great time to start living that dream. Do your research first to choose a city you’d like to live in, then schedule a visit. I encourage you to check out planned amenity communities. It’s not that this is the only option, but they are a great alternative to explore when relocating to a new region. These lifestyle communities are designed to create an atmosphere where you can feed your body, mind, and soul. You can meet lots of people who have moved from other locations, move into a new home, or find an existing home that meets your needs at this time in your life, and be as active as you would like to be with the myriad of sports, clubs, and activities. The developers have worked very hard to incorporate all aspects of life into these planned communities. You deserve to find your ideal life, so get started today with your list of must-have prioties for your life and home.