TGIM: Quality, Quantity, & Query

Welcome back to Thank God It’s Monday!
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tl;dr Life is about the quality of our relationships and the nature of our experiences. Life is also about the quantity of healthy years and skills we develop that help us create a meaningful life. We should query what in life is worth being measured by quality or quantity.

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I spoke a little last week about the joy of giving a good gift. To see someone light up when you gift them something that makes you think of them is a wonderful feeling.
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On the flip side, one of the worst parts of the holiday season is giving and getting seemingly obligatory gifts. The ones that you felt the need to buy for a customary exchange or the ones you get for some unspoken tradition. It’s the result of a holiday season that has grown with consumerism, gifts that will sit in your room collecting dust or go right into the donation bag.
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The key to a good gift is the quality of the meaning around it. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive bag or the most luxurious experience. But an inside joke or a present that is unique to the recipient’s interests makes for the most heartwarming gifts.

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Most things in life are more valuable in quality than quantity. I asked ChatGPT for examples of valuable “quantities” in life which generated several answers: “time, health, quality relationships, knowledge and skills, financial stability, contribution and impact, and joy and fulfillment.” Artificial Intelligence concluded that these examples were important to have in larger amounts for a meaningful life.

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However, it dawned on me that a larger number of healthy habits and dollars in your bank account (to provide food, shelter, some luxuries, etc) are valuable in that they contribute to a better quality of life. So really, all of these examples truly come back to improving quality.

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A few quantities do matter like enough money to afford the most basic human needs and provide safety, and a little extra for some comfort. The quantity of healthy years we have in life (“healthy years” are subjective to the individual) are important. The number of people in your support system or community are vital to a happy life.

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But the sheer number of each of these doesn’t go very far if they do not have quality.

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So anytime you get to a crossroads, it is important to question which path will add the most value to your lfe. Maybe it’s a job offer that the pay raise would add a significant benefit to your quality of life by helping you pay off your mortgage and a chronic stressor. Or maybe it is simply considering a new purchase. Does the quantity add to your life? Does the quality?

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Just as a consideration from Ray Bradbury, “Quantity produces quality. If you only write a few things, you’re doomed.” All to say that to find quality (people, gifts, experiences), you may have to sift through a large number of them. So as with most things in life, the simple answer is “it depends.”

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If you found some value in this, please share it with a friend you think would enjoy it! And let me know if you’d like to be added to get TGIM.

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This week, my podcast recommendation is from The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck Podcast, “Advice to Avoid, The Dark Side of Therapy, and Taking Your Own Medicine.”

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With that, have a wonderful week!
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Until next time,

Shannon
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P.S.

1. I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.
2. I am of the nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape having ill health.
3. I am of the nature to die. There is no way to escape death.
4. All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.
5. My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.