As a realtor and designer, part of my job includes telling people how they can increase the value of their homes (and I love it), but what we’re going to discuss today is how to increase the value of your life. It sounds intimidating, I know, but it’s not as difficult as it sounds...and it will benefit you, everyone around you, and all of SLC, for that matter. From birth, most of us are ingrained with an idea of what it means to live a “wealthy life”. This is something that is passed down from our parents (and our parent’s parents), and, for too many of us, this life involves a Robin Leach-type voiceover and some sort of grotesquely-oversized yacht. I’m here to tell you, this is NOT the case.
It may sound like psycho-babble, but when you’re good within, you’re good without. I’ve chatted before about the importance of enjoying (and creating) life’s beautiful moments, and really, this is just an extension of that. Living a wealthy life is a decision you make on the inside. It’s all about making choices, right? It’s a choice to unplug and watch a sunset. It’s a choice to take the time to walk six blocks rather than drive ‘em. It’s a choice to print out and try a new recipe for dinner, just because. I recently took a 30 day vacation from booze, and in that time I became a sparkling water connoisseur (LaCroix is the clear frontrunner, for the record). Why would I deprive myself of a delicious, bubbly beverage just because I’m on a cleanse? I want the best and most rich experiences for myself--no matter what--and you should, too. If I’m going on a picnic, I’ll take the time to pack some lovely dishes, candles, and a great blanket to sit on. Every once in a while (don’t judge me) I buy some wine for no other reason than because I’m in love with the label. In both my personal and professional life as a designer, I’m constantly pulling inspiration from places I’ve been. Paris, Tulum, Moab, the Uintas. It's everywhere, and it’s entirely cyclical. I’m continuously putting myself in a place to receive inspiration, thereby making it a hell of a lot easier to be inspired.
When I first started cityhomeCOLLECTIVE, there was not a lot of dough to throw around (fellow business owners will know the struggle), but we'd still take the time to have employee picnics in the park with fruit, cheese, and fancy flatware. No matter what you do, do it in a way that inspires you—and others, come to that. The idea of “wealth” doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with money or possessions. That said, I don’t think there's anything wrong with wanting to be comfortable and live the life you want. Somewhere during decades of propriety and social norms, the desire for material wealth became taboo, and while there’s something to be said for being a starving artist, there’s also something to be said for not. All I’m saying is, there's potential to make every experience a rich one. And here's the thing: a collective desire to live rich lives will lead to a beautiful, wealthy, healthy city. Imagine thousands of people waking up and deciding to raise the value of their life. That radiates directly into SLC. It’s the law of attraction--if we’re in a good spot, we see good around us, and others see it in us.
At 36 I decided to ask myself--yet again--what really matters to me. The answer? Well, everything. As you can probably tell from the trend of my blog posts, I’ve been dedicating time towards learning, being more present, conscious, and alert, and toward running a trustworthy business that’s reinventing real estate and SLC. Want my expert advice on how to raise the value of your house? Well, I’d advise you to raise the value of your life first...and then let inside and outside be one. Choose yourself. Choose beauty, whatever that looks like for you. Choose rich experiences that are free (or not). Choose to live a wealthy life and the rest will come naturally.
