Why Settle for the Ordinary?

The finer things in life can offer a very personal and satisfying means of self-expression and a great way to be content in your own personal space. While a few people have been fortunate enough to be raised in an environment in which they were tutored in how to live well, most of us have had to learn about the finer things of life by osmosis or by chance, if at all. Consequently, we have been missing out on a lot of wonderful experiences that anyone can know and enjoy if they had a guide to explain the how, what, and why of what distinguishes the average from the exceptional.

Some of the best things that life has to offer are about indulging your senses. Pleasing the senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell isn’t about hedonistic self-indulgence in this context, it’s about deriving a sense of well-being by savoring exceptional products made from the best materials and processes. This is about the exquisite fit and feel of a hand-made Italian sportcoat versus a typical generic machine-made (and glued) department store jacket which is little more than functional. This is about the glorious and exciting sound of an audio/videophile’s high-end home theater system as opposed to the merely serviceable sound of a home-theater-in-a-box system you can pick up just about anywhere. This is about the aroma, complexity, and structure of a well-crafted wine rather than the bleekness of a thin and insipid wine. The good news is that you don’t necessarily have to pay top dollar for these experiences. You just have to know what to look for.

In case it isn’t clear yet, this blog is not about how to impress others with your expensive tastes and how much money you throw around. This is a blog about discovering the finer things in life and developing your tastes and discernment for your own enjoyment and gratification. To put it another way, anyone can buy a pair of expensive designer shoes or sunglasses and think that they “make” him look good, but there’s a good chance that he’ll come across as someone who has money but no taste. However, if someone who inherently embodies style and attitude wears those same shoes or sunglasses, those items looks like part of congruous and tasteful extension of the person who wears them. Then again, that same person might look even better and be better served by some really great shoes and sunglasses from another source that cost a fraction as much, but are of comparable or better quality. What you need to be looking for is whatever makes you feel good and projects who you truly are and what you enjoy rather than how much money you spend.

For a related post on the Bootstrap Austin blog go here.