The Tsèz

We tend to think that luxury is wearing high-end clothes, driving sport cars and living in million-dollar homes, however, that isn’t the only luxury.

Luxury is a word of three syllables, whose meaning, according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, is: something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary.

A month ago, while doing the meditation challenge I talked about here, I came to hear that one of the clues to embracing abundance is to know you are living in luxury.

The central thought focused on the fact that we should be able to know that luxury is, in essence, living comfortably: having a soft bed, having warm water, having access to internet and so on.

This reflection left me thinking and wondering about the concept we have of living luxury, which inspired me to share my approach on luxury and how to find it in every day life (when you aren’t a millionaire).

As we already saw, the definition of luxury says that it is something not-essential that brings us comfort or pleasure, and I believe that can be applied to a great variety of things.

This variety of things can go from more than one pillow in your bed to the Hermès Herbag a dos Zip retourne tilt backpack (this isn’t sponsored by Hermès, I just loved that backpack).

However, let’s focus on the more “normal” things.

The clue to find luxury is to focus on those small things that brings us pleasure. I’ve always thought that the most simple and ordinary things can be the ones that result more important for us.

Think about the coffee or tea you make for yourself at mornings, would your morning be the same without it? Probably not. If someone else made it, does it taste the same? Probably not. The chance of making coffee as we like it is a luxury.

Having a favourite blouse or t-shirt and having something to combine it is a luxury. You don’t have to wear high-end clothes to look good, at the end of the day, fashion is what one makes with its own clothing, not what runways tell us (and even that is another luxury).

We have to reinvent the concept of luxury and apply it to our possibilities.

I don’t have the money to buy the Hermès Herbag a dos Zip retourne tilt backpack, but that doesn’t mean I can’t approach luxury. Maybe, when going to the mall, I find another backpack that is ten times cheaper and yet I like it the same way. That’s luxury.

The opportunity to choose is a luxury.

Sometimes we limit ourselves thinking: “Oh! I never can afford anything I like”, but in reality we’re searching in the wrong places. If you’re experimenting financial troubles and you want to buy from a boutique at Beverly Hills, then it is very possible you can never afford anything you like. But, have you tried in a thrift store or in a flea market?

Here’s a secret: Nobody will know it is from a thrift store or from a flea market.

And the same goes to furniture, dishes, food, etc, etc, etc.

You might not be able to go to a 5 star restaurant, but you can try a new recipe at home. It is possible that you can’t afford your dreamed Mercedes-Benz, but you can afford a simpler car. That’s a luxury and that’s a start.

The decisions we take, the things we choose, aren’t forever, nothing is, but they can be a start. If your idea of luxury is high-end stuff, then go for it, but if you can’t afford them, seek for new things.

Nothing is valuable as the world says. The value comes from us.

A thousand dollars bag costs a thousand dollars, but that doesn’t mean it is its value. If a special person to me gave me a ten dollar bag, I’d value more the gifted bag than the thousand dollars one.

In conclusion, we must be aware that luxury is around us, and we experience it every day.

Luxury is choosing how to live, and even, living is a luxury by itself.

Enjoy it. Embrace it. Be it.

You’re living in luxury, don’t forget it.

(Even, having the time to read this article is a luxury, and a very great luxury I’m glad you took!)