Pura Vida… So I was introduced to this expression last Friday as I lay lazily in my bed after an activity-filled Thanksgiving. Good ole P. Allen Smith* was in Costa Rica and informed us that these two words are the national saying there – really.
It literally translates to “Pure Life” but is taken to mean “Life is Good”. Good vibes, good people, good food, good experiences, good health, good weather – good. In articulating the expression, one declares this truth, reminds oneself of life’s goodness and affirms with others that it is so.
The Costa Ricans that P. Allen Smith spoke with said that even if they aren’t feeling particularly well or are dealing with an issue when someone greets them – automatically and always – the response is “Pura Vida!” Life is good. One gentleman commented that doing so snaps you back into the reality that everything will work out. Life is indeed good – always has been, is, and will continue to be so.
This communal affirmation is muy positivo and most assuredly effectual. Imagine…the “default” of an entire country is “Life is good”. Powerful.
Could Your “Default” Be the Fault?
So, what is your “default”? In regard to life in general – and to the specifics…your career, your relationships, your physicality, your intelligence, your L-I-F-E?
We have all heard people lamenting about “Monday” when returning to work or contrarily anticipating the “weekend” and getting away from their jobs for a couple of days. What is the “default” here? It is one of dislike, disdain, and pain about their work. What an awful way to spend 5 days or more of life each and every week. However, I do not believe that all these people who bemoan going into work actually hate their jobs – but words are powerful. Eventually, hearing oneself express misery about one’s job will inevitably lead to a disposition that matches – made manifest through thought patterns and actions. Alternatively, what would be the advantage of defaulting to the positive instead? How would our Mondays (and Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays & Fridays) possibly change if we adopted an attitude of “Pura Vida” with respect to our jobs? What impact could that have on 261 days (or more) of our year?
Now ask yourself what is your “default” for other aspects of your life – relationships, health, wealth, intelligence. Could your default be negatively contributing to one or all of these sections of your life? Is your default in regard to relationships that it will never work? Maybe because it didn’t work for your parents? Is your default in regard to your capabilities that you are not smart enough? Maybe because your sister/brother/cousin did better than you in grade school? Check your default and make sure that it’s not at fault for you not achieving more.
Default to Pura Vida
Defaulting to a baseline of Pura Vida can be powerful. Implement a mentality of goodness as the foundation from which you operate and see what “life” blooms.
*P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home is a weekly television show that airs on PBS.