The Goldilocks Zone

Happiness is a place between too much and too little.
—Finnish Proverb

Nowadays there’s term for that — the Goldilocks zone, when conditions are just right for thriving.

Andy, for the most part, is in the Goldilocks zone right now.

He’s enthusiastic about his project to raise the temperature of the heat-storing wall (more about that later), and it’s challenging enough to be absorbing but not overwhelming. Last fall when we were having the greenhouse built he had almost too much of a challenge because of all the thinking and decision-making he had to do. But it turned out well.

And if he didn’t have projects to be involved in it would be too little for him, he would go bonkers.

Where are you? Are there areas of your life where you have too much? Too little? Just right?

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17 Responses to The Goldilocks Zone

  1. Rose says:

    All of the above….depends on the day and sometimes the time of day. LOL

  2. Cindi says:

    It will come as no surprise I suppose, but… too much.
    Iโ€™m working on eliminating what I can, maybe even somethings others wonโ€™t understand, but everyoneโ€™s idea of happiness is different!
    So hopefully someday soon I can proclaim that itโ€™s just right.
    xo

    • Jean says:

      I expected that, you are way overloaded, and we all have to figure out what works best for us. I hope you can lighten your load soon.

      If it’s any consolation, the middle years tend to be the hardest. In general older people are as happy as young ones.

  3. tammy j says:

    I expect to be in my Goldilocks zone very soon!
    health-wise I mean. I’ve just discovered a deficiency I have.
    and I’m anxious to remedy it and get back to my normal self!
    (does that mean abby-normal as in Young Frankenstein?) LOL! probably.
    btw… I love that picture of Andy. he looks so happy! ๐Ÿ˜€

  4. Harold says:

    Yep, my wife claims I run too much and that I get injured too often because I run too far. Me, I have a different view, I get injured because I forget that I am in my ’60s and attempt to do things that I used to do in my ’30s. Therefore, it is a training issue and more an ego problem than because I run too much. Two very different opinions about the same issue. No real solution to the problem, because I am very consistent about my training injuries and they are the result of the same issue – I don’t want to admit I am getting older as a runner.

    My Goldilocks zone is probably between 25-35 miles a week with more easy runs than I do now. Now I just have to think about doing it. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Andy looks like he is going to have fun though.

    • Jean says:

      Good luck with cutting down your running! It sounds like it will be a hard adjustment to make.

      Andy is having a lot of fun at the moment, which is good. ๐Ÿ™‚

  5. I’m not in the Goldilocks zone at the present but I sure remember what it felt like and am looking forward to being there again.

    • Jean says:

      That’s the thing, sometimes we have to push harder than we would like for a while, but as long as it’s temporary it can be well worth it.

  6. One area of my life is certainly in the Goldilocks zone of life, art-making…

    But other areas of my life are still in “it sucks mode” – although the Sciatica isn’t as troublesome like in shooting pains L, R & C – there are still strife; and the generic pain killer is actually my friend…I’ve basically accepted some of the new medications for part of the other ailment but parts of it still not where I thought they might be…but then on the other hand, I know what is what with those parts…

    So I’m working on an idea that personally may work/help for me/things…I’ve had to tweak it a couple of times, including rescheduling my day to fit it all in. I thought that to see how well it would work, I would adopt a 6 week challenge…and it may work but I still have another 4 weeks to go…(sorry to sound mysterious) ๐Ÿ™‚

    And in about 4–5 weeks off on another little trip around the countryside, routes not finalised yet…

  7. nick says:

    I think my life is a good balance of all the things I enjoy (blogging, Facebook, reading, walking, listening to music etc) and domestic chores. I still welcome the benefits of retirement – that I can please myself when I do things instead of having to fit everything around a paid-work schedule.

  8. Ann Thompson says:

    I must need more coffee. I read “Finnish proverb” and thought to myself it looks like it’s already finished to me. ๐Ÿ™‚
    I think I experience all three from time to time. There are days when there’s too much some days too little and some days just right.

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