I Don’t Do Sick

I sure do feel crummy. My throat hurts, my head aches, and I’m craving chicken soup.

I don’t do sick. In fact, I can‘t remember the last time I was ill as it’s been years. While I often credit my good health with my strong, Ukrainian peasant genes, it is probably due just as much to the fact that I’m pretty happy, don’t like being sick, and enjoy my quality of life. 

I’m blessed and grateful to have an excellent quality of life. If I was pressed to explain exactly what that means, I’m not sure I could do it. But I do know I’ve got it. Even if I did know exactly what it meant, it wouldn’t be useful information for others as it is likely that what I consider as quality of life would be different for others. For example, work makes me happy. Not everyone relates working hard to quality of life. However, what we do know is that when we have quality of life it seems to mean we have the ability to enjoy all that life has to offer.

So how does one determine whether or not they have quality of life?
Perhaps it’s not as complicated as one might think. It might just mean stepping back a bit and asking yourself, “Are you happy? How happy are you with your physical health, family, and spiritual, and community life? Do your personal relationships bring you joy? Do you have meaningful work?”

Good health is what most would agree is essential for us being able to enjoy quality of life. When our bodies, minds, and spirits are healthy we are able to enjoy our families, our work, and our leisure.

Typically we also see stability as being important to our quality of life. When our life is stable - meaning we have the basics of food, shelter, security, and income - we tend to make better decisions about our life and our future.

When we are more stable, we tend to be more responsible and more likely to find and embrace a sense of purpose. People who have this sense of purpose or meaning in their lives are more likely to have a high quality of life because meaning brings purpose and reasons for living.

Spending time and enjoying family and friends is also essential for meeting our natural social needs.

The term quality of life is used to evaluate the general well-being of individuals and communities in a variety of contexts. For instance, the Quality of Life Research Unit at the University of Toronto suggests quality of life is the degree to which a person enjoys the important possibilities of his or her life. Possibilities result from the opportunities and limitations each person has in their life and reflect the interaction of personal and environmental factors. Enjoyment has two components: the experience of satisfaction and the possession or achievement of some characteristic, as illustrated by the expression: “She enjoys good health.”

So, while it’s true my quality of life isn’t quite up to par today as I’m definitely not in good health or enjoying much, I also have the advantage of stability, family, friends, and a sense of purpose that won’t let me wallow in it for long.

There is probably more I could write about quality of life but I feel the overwhelming need for a nap. Stay well.

Posted on 10-17-10


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