Note No. #8 // Rediscovering Pura Vida
Reignite your sense of wonder and rediscover the "pure life."
Good morning, and happy Saturday!
Have you ever experienced a moment where your entire outlook on life shifted? One minute, you're coasting through life in your comfort zone, and the next, something jolts you awake, showing you a whole new way to live—one that challenges everything you thought you knew.
That moment hit me during a family trip to Costa Rica when I was 15. Before then, my only travels outside the U.S. had been to Canada—growing up near Buffalo, those weekend trips were routine. But Costa Rica? That felt like stepping into another world.
We flew into San Jose and headed down to a small, family-run resort in Playa Flamingo. Even the drive was eye-opening—every scene out the window was a stark contrast to the life I knew. It wasn’t just the landscapes that felt different; it was the rhythm of life too.
Sure, we did the typical tourist things—surfing, zip-lining through the jungle, sailing on a catamaran—but it wasn’t the adventure that stayed with me. It was the people.
Everywhere we went, the locals radiated joy and contentment. I couldn’t wrap my head around it at first. There was a young couple selling handmade jewelry from the side of an old VW bus and a man with a small table selling coconut-carved trinkets. Their lives seemed so simple, yet they were undeniably happy.
I found myself asking: How could people with so little be so fulfilled?
That’s when I learned about Pura Vida. In Costa Rica, it’s more than a phrase; it’s a philosophy. Pura Vida—“pure life”—means living simply, with an open heart, and fully embracing the beauty of life. It blew my mind.
Before that trip, I thought happiness was tied to things—success, possessions, security. But Costa Rica opened my eyes to a different way of living. That spark of curiosity hooked me, driving my desire to explore other cultures and pushing me to travel for all these years.
But somewhere along the way, that sense of wonder got lost. Life got busy. Routines crept in. Maybe you've felt that, too—the way the spark dims when you get caught up in the day-to-day, losing sight of the “why” behind your passion.
The good news? It’s never too late to reignite it. For me, that means reconnecting with Pura Vida—the simple joys, the open-heartedness, the spirit of adventure that made me fall in love with travel in the first place.
Maybe it’s time for you to do the same. Where did you first feel that spark of curiosity, that sense of joy for life? What’s your version of Pura Vida, and how can you bring it back into your life?
As we step into this new season, here’s a gentle nudge: Life isn’t about accumulating more. It’s about living fully, embracing each moment, and reconnecting with what makes you come alive. For me, it’s exploring new cultures and places. For you, it might be something else entirely.
Whatever it is, let this be the season you rediscover it.
Have a great week!
Becca
A Question for you:
How might you breathe more Pura Vida into your life? What does living a pure life mean to you, and how will you embrace it this year?
Simple joys > things. 100%!
Thanks for the reminder! Let's go on an adventure!!!!!