What I Learned From Retired People on Living a Rich Life

What does it mean to live a rich life? And why does it matter to know that you lived a rich life?

When Vesla dropped the sentence „I lived a rich life“ in her interview, I felt so much peace, satisfaction, and surrender. There were no regrets.

Later on, when I was sharing this story with other people, many people asked: “But what does it mean to live a rich life?”.

So I invited Vesla to one of my workshops and let her share what a rich life meant to her. We all need to find our own answers, but Vesla’s story tells met his:

1. The first step to living a rich life is to appreciate what you have.

🔴 Vesla didn’t have an ordinary childhood: she lost her parents, lived in an orphanage and it took some time before she found a happy home and an amazing new mother. Vesla says: “When your expectations are low, the tiniest thing makes you happy.” And it doesn’t mean that you need to settle for little.

2. Know what a rich life means to you early in your life.

🔴 When Vesla was much younger, she was thinking: “When I am old and withered, I want to be rich in memories – to have gone out, seen the world, and lived every moment that this life can give.” And she did it! She is Norwegian, but she lived in six countries, learning and speaking their languages. She established lasting friendships and earned life experiences through learning by doing.

3. Live your life according to your own values.

🔴 Vesla mentioned things that mattered to her dearly – relationships (friends, family), helping others, and a job well done! And she walks the talk! She is one of the most generous, caring people I know. She always does an amazing job in everything she commits to doing.

If you want to have no regrets at the end of your life, try to figure out what living a rich life means to you and how you can live it. You can start with a simple exercise.

“Imagine yourself at your own funeral. What do you want people to say about you and how you lived your life?“

After having done this exercise years ago, I knew how I wanted to live my life. I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do with my life, but I knew that I wanted to be someone who was not afraid to pursue her dreams, who had the courage to do many new things. This became my guiding principle every time I needed to decide whether to follow my dreams and desires or to follow my fear and stay in my comfort zone.