One Easy Way to Live Well: Don’t Wait

If there’s one rule for living well that I’ve really bought into, it’s this: use the good stuff.

Wear the nice jewelry, pull out grandma’s dishes for an ordinary Tuesday dinner, and drink that bottle of wine you’ve been saving. If you’ve got some flowers in the garden, stop and give them a sniff. If there’s a precious old treasure in your home, cherish it, but use it. Don’t let it sit idle.

If you don’t put holes in your favorite sweater from wearing it, the moths will do it while you’re not looking, so you may as well get some pleasure out of it.

I’ve always felt that way, but the last few years really drove home the message. Earthquakes smash dishes, wildfires and floods wipe out whole neighborhoods, and the person you’ve wanted to share that special thing with may not be here next time you decide the occasion is special enough to use it.

Every day is special. Use the good stuff. Don’t wait.