What exactly is quality of life, and how do we measure it?

If I had been asked some years ago if I had a good quality of life, it would have given me a moment’s pause. If I were asked now, I would be able to answer in the positive immediately. I suppose it comes down to what I had to compare things to.

It is very tempting to think of quality of life as being a material thing. If we have plenty of money and nice possessions, we could say that this equates to a good quality of life. However, it is possible to ask a poor man who has nothing if he has a good quality of life, and he might just as well answer yes. It is all relative.

For the poor man to believe he has a good quality of life his mind would need to be in a good place

Beliefs most certainly come into play here. It is the case that beliefs relating to what it means to have a good quality of life will be the framework. Religious beliefs would be a good example. For the rest of us, though, we will be seeking to fulfil what society teaches us is required. From my perspective, within the reach of this post and this website’s purpose, I feel we can find a middle ground in terms of improving life’s quality.

Mindfulness of our physical and mental health are at the root

When we’re mindful of the necessity of self-care, we’re starting from the ground up. The sooner we introduce regular meditation so we can improve our mental fitness, the better.

I believe that recognising the nature of a runaway mind and how little control we initially have over it is very empowering. Seeing things for what they truly are is the start. Recognising that a mindless pursuit of what we believe we need for a good quality of life is never going to be the answer is key.

Meditation that leads to improved mental fitness and everyday mindfulness will bring us predominantly into the present moment. It’s only once we’re present that we can fully comprehend how near or far we are from improving life’s quality.