How To Live The "La Dolce Vita" Lifestyle

The sweet life. Life is sweet, when you get a chance to look around. Case in point...I am extremely grateful to live near the water. Upon catching the train home from the city one day, the guard reminded us all to stop and appreciate the beautiful harbour to our left. It goes to show that life is sweet, and that we need to stop and smell the roses. This is what living life La Dolce Vita is all about, and it is accessible to us all, even in the tough times. If you stop and look, life is pretty amazing.

Those living in Italy that practice the slow living philosophy (if not anywhere in the world) appreciate the importance of eating only fresh, unpackaged food as much as possible. This includes fresh food that is freshly cooked. The creators of the Mediterranean Diet must be onto something, and plant based foods are taking on a vengeance. Nothing says sweetness more than enjoying a pizza (my favourite being a margherita) fresh from a wood over fire. Fresh is best, and the aim is to keep it simple.

As a by product of living in a second COVID-19 lockdown, as at the time of writing this; I am personally looking forward to spending time and slowing down at a beautiful cafe with plants and waterfalls. Enjoy that cappuccino in a ceramic mug, with a food dish of your choice. Why not pair it with a croissant. Food on the go is not a good thing, and the beauty of the pandemic is that it has slowed us all down, in the spirit of living La Dolce Vita. Enjoy each and every sip of the coffee, and every bite of the food, and soak in your beautiful surroundings. Mindful eating is key. Smell, eat, and enjoy your food. Eating is a gift to be enjoyed. To be savoured.

We are designed (as human beings) to socialise with one another. Catch up with friends and work colleagues (if you have any); if not with your partner, and/or family. Why not with your community. Catch up at a bar, cafe or restaurant once in a while. If you are catching up at a bar; then why not enjoy a quality glass of red wine, or an Aperol Spritz. In no way, shape or form am I encouraging the consumption of alcohol (a healthy disclaimer here), yet the La Dolce Vita lifestyle is all about everything you enjoy consuming in moderation that is not addictive for you. If alcohol does not float your boat, then enjoy another type of treat that you would normally not consume.

The pandemic has personally taught me the importance of sustainability, and for being a wave maker, and truly caring for the environment. More and more people are inspired by growing their own fruit and vegetables. It is more challenging when you live in an urban area, in an apartment with no balcony, and perhaps with animals around; yet there are solutions coming up where people want to have control over their own food security. In lockdowns, it is more difficult to buy what you desire at the supermarket when it comes to healthy eating, as people panic buy out of habit. There are tutorials on the Internet on how to grow your own fruit and vegetables. More tips on caring for the environment can be found by clicking here.

The key is to take your time, and life is not a race. If you do not stop and slow down, you will miss the beauty that lies in front of you. Take you time with everything, from making soup, to making your bed each day, and even with gardening to name. Spend time with loved ones, and enjoy a digital detox once in a while. There is nothing wrong with technology and computer screens, yet these are man made devices that are used for certain purposes, and not to endlessly scroll on social media, and stream for hours on end. Turn the phone off, and hide it if you have to. Some sweet downtime is necessary in order to stay sane, and to not lose our affinity with mother nature.

Problems and depression can easily be solved by breathing. Take some deep breaths. Remember to breathe in deeply, and conversely while breathing out. If you need a hand on this, then consider doing a few yoga and meditation sessions, or going to a mindfulness workshop. Or you could even consult a breath work practitioner. Breathing is free, and is the breath of life and beauty.

Relationships are not easy, yet they are totally worth their weight in gold. We need to be connected to other human beings, and to connect face to face. I know that that it is harder during a pandemic, yet seeing people face to face (when COVID-19 restrictions are eased), is better than online or over the phone. If the Internet goes down for a little bit, what we will do? We will connect to our roots, and socialise with others. Cultivating and building relationships with friends, family and your partner (if you so choose the latter) is so important to living the sweet La Dolce Vita life.

When you live in a beautiful environment, and you dress well, in addition to taking care of your body and external appearance; you exude radiance, charm and confidence to the world. Quality all the way. It is better to spend more on a sofa, especially as we are now forced to spend more time at home. You do not need to invest in an interior decorator or stylist, yet these people can help you if you feel stuck on design options. This also means living in a clutter free environment. Wear clothes that make you feel good. Discard old socks with holes in them, and replace them. When you feel good, others will feel good around you, and that includes employers and clients. Get your hair cut often. You get the drift.

This adds onto the beauty element. Find beauty in the simple things around you. Spend time at the local park, or at the beach. You do not need to buy an expensive plane ticket in order to explore and appreciate the beauty of the great outdoors. Go to the beach. Enjoy some fresh flowers in your home. Little things make a massive impact to your mental health and happiness.

Living the La Dolce Vita lifestyle is truly about the details. They say that the devil is in the details, yet life is in the details. When visiting an art gallery, spend the time to appreciate the finer details in the paintings and sculptures, beyond just reading the artists descriptions. Appreciate the many strands of grass in the park, and the particles of sand at the beach. Smile at others (even underneath a face mask). Enjoy an ice cream if you wish. Be present when asking someone a question, or when they ask you a question. Do not look away, or scroll at your phone. If you have a partner, ask them how their day was, and really listen. Maybe read a book, or engage in some crafty activities with your hand, instead of opting for the TV for a change.

Less is more. You do not need much in living a La Dolce Vita lifestyle. Abundance can be found in eating an apple mindlessly, and in enjoying each and every bite. No clutter. Only use and have on hand as many clothes, blankets and toiletries as you need, among other things. When you live abundantly, you appreciate what you have, and when you browse mindfully, you appreciate each and every purchase. Again, life is in the details.

Spend time in nature, and not at malls all the time. Sit down and listen to your family. The older ones have a lot to share when it comes to your family history, and success certainly leaves clues. By listening to some family members before they passed on, I understood why they acted the way they did, and why they made decisions the way they had. This left clues on my traumas, as well as my successes, so it guided me towards what I needed to heal and work on, and on the flip side what I need to focus my energies on more frequently.

Life is meant to be simple, and not complicated. Self care is not a luxury, but rather a necessary. Take some time out for you, and enjoy the moment. Meditate if you wish. Spend some time in the bath tub. Get rid of anything that is stressing you out, and that includes toxic people. If your job is not quite right, maybe you need to take some time out and figure out your values, and to work on finding a job that makes you happy. Life is short. Time is a luxury, and we are allowed to have a say in how we spend it, no different to money.

Let go of any attachments to things, because nothing is forever, and nothing will last forever. We cannot take our assets and possessions to the grave. I don't care how many followers I have on my business instagram account, because my business is going great anyway. If someone unfollows you on social media, or unsubscribes to your work: who cares. They were no longer right for you anyway. There are other people out there, that are yet to discover how you can help them. Raise your standards for the things you do not want in life, and lower them for the things you do want.

The sunshine is to be enjoyed, and is the best (and possibly the only source) of getting our Vitamin D into us. The sun is emotion (energy in motion), and is an awakening of nature, like the smell of freshly baked bread. Lets the rays sink in, while remembering to apply the SPF sunscreen.

Living the La Dolce Vita lifestyle is awesome, and I will leave you with a few videos as food for thought, to inspire you some more on living, and in continuing to enjoy the sweet, simple life. It is a gift. Thank you.