Bringing Pura Vida home

Pura Vida is Costa Rica’s tagline, motto, or catchphrase.  Whatever it is, it definitely delivers.  The phrase means “pure life” or “simple life,” and it is indeed more than just a phrase; it is their way of life.  We just came back from a six-day vacation in Costa Rica, and the phrase certainly doesn’t disappoint.  There is a relaxed nature in Costa Rica that you can just feel and that I can’t quite put into words, and then I realize someone else already has: Pura Vida.  Everyone in Costa Rica is living Pura Vida.

I am trying to reflect on Pura Vida, what it means to me, and how I bring some of this home.  Anytime I am on vacation, I always have this desire to bottle those vacation feelings up and bring them home, but I especially do after leaving Costa Rica.  And though I can’t quite bottle it up, I can bring back a simple phrase and reminder with me.

After a week in Costa Rica, here are my observations on Pura Vida:

• Healthy lifestyle. I had time to work out, walk where I need to go, and just overall be outside and active.
• Healthy and delicious food. There was a perfect balance of both healthy and nourishing food and also tasty and decadent food.
• Time to relax. I had margin in my day.  I had more time available than what I “need” to get done in a day.
• No schedule. I had flexibility on when and how I do things.  Maybe I’ll go into town today to buy some sunscreen, or perhaps that will get done tomorrow.  Maybe I’ll go kayaking, or perhaps I’ll take a nap.
• Beautiful weather and views. The beaches were wide and generous, and the sunsets were breathtaking.  There was also this extraordinary thing where every night at sunset, tons of people were just sitting and relaxing on the beach and watching the beautiful sunset.  They weren’t on their phones or distracted by something in the world.  They were sitting and looking at the sunset like they were watching a movie. 
• Being with someone I love. For this trip, it’s my husband.  There were enough kids where we stayed that I sort of missed my kids, and I think they’d enjoy it here.  We hope to bring them back here sometime in the future.
• Time to meditate. I can prioritize my health and mental well-being and have time to meditate before doing other things.
• Having a minimal amount of possessions. I packed a small rolling carry-on away suitcase and carry-on backpack, and nothing else.  And in general, I just got by with very little.  I didn’t miss the hundreds of “just in case” items I have at home.  This always seems to happen on vacation: I remember how little I need to live happily.
• I was not productive. I didn’t do much most of the week.  I relaxed.  I read books.  I talked to my husband.  I walked on the beach.  I took my time thinking and exploring.  I am usually so focused on my to-do list and what needs to happen next, that I don’t really ever stop doing something.

This doesn’t have to be the end of Pura Vida.  I tried to bring a little home with me.  I also tried to bring some shells home with me, but customs wasn’t having that.  Who knew!?  Customs couldn’t stop me from bringing home some Pura Vida.

Here are some of the ways I want to bring Pura Vida home with me and not have it only be a memory from one week in Costa Rica:

• I want to be more relaxed with the kids and my husband. I want to be less intense and always trying to control and manage everything, and more relaxed.  I want to have more fun and less function.  This is hard for me.
• I want to keep up the active lifestyle I built up during the last covid quarantine year. I was always active before, but I’ve been even more active in the last year of working remotely.  We go on walks daily, usually more than one, and I rarely miss a workout day.  When I was commuting to an office, I frequently missed workout days.  I rarely miss them now, and my activity level on vacation reminds me of what I want it to be every day.  I’ve been able to accomplish that while working remotely, and I want to keep it up.
• I want to do the essential things first. While on vacation, before we did much else, we would go for a run or workout and meditate.  It’s a great way to start our day.  This is hard to do every day at home, but it’s not impossible if I prioritize it.
• I want to get rid of more stuff and further simplify my life. I don’t need much.  I go through phases of buying less, buying more, purging more, keeping more, and so on.  I want to remember how little I need when traveling and how much I have in my home that I just don’t need.  I want to remember this and use this energy to minimize, purge, and simplify.  I want a Pura Vida at home, and to do this, I still need fewer physical items in my life.
• I want to appreciate the beauty around me in daily life. The beautiful ocean views are the most challenging part to bring home, but beauty is everywhere around us and in different ways.  This is an excellent reminder to find the beauty in my everyday life.  Today I went for a run and noticed the most beautiful flowers blooming throughout my neighborhood.  This is a reminder to stop and smell the roses more often.
• I don’t always need to be productive, and that is OK. I’ve said it before, but I don’t fully know how to relax, and I am slowly learning how to relax.

With the phrase “Pura Vida,” Costa Rica is selling a lifestyle, a way of life, a dream.  But it works, and it’s helpful.  It’s beneficial to have a reminder of what you strive for and what’s important.  Are you living a pure and simple life at home?  Do you want to be?  What would it take for you to have a more pure and simple life?  What do you need to change up so that you can have Pura Vida?

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Written while listening to At the Beach by Avett Brothers

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