Would you believe me if I said that the Italian lifestyle is actually the kind of lifestyle we all used to have. But that we lost when massive changes like the industrial revolution, capitalism and the internet were rolled out.
All of these changed the world we live in fundamentally, and they even shaped our cultures… except in Italy.
Couple years ago I decided to move away from Northern Europe for Winters because I can’t stand snow. And for anyone who knows me, it wasn’t a surprise when I announced that my chosen solo travel destination was Italy.
The simple reason for choosing so is the fact that beautiful Italy is delivering in quality of life and Spring vibes already in February. But at the same time I’ve come to realise it is lacking in Nordic comforts. Or is it?
By Nordic comforts I mean the availability of all services 24/7. This has only been the reality for the past 2 decades but it has quickly led to us expecting instant gratification and calling it an issue if we don’t get it.
- While I have to admit that Italy is not a remote work friendly country (Florence especially), I’ve learned to appreciate them sticking to what we consider an ‘outdated way of living’.
- Because at the end of the day, the Italian lifestyle makes me happy, whereas the Finnish one doesn’t.
- This is bloody ironic considering that Finland has been chosen ‘the happiest country’ in the world multiple times in a row.
What does ‘la Dolce Vita’ mean?
I’m obviously going to explain why I think the Italian lifestyle makes you happy but the ones that “happiness surveys” say should, don’t. Before we can delve deeper, we need to understand an important concept of the Italian culture: la dolce vita.
Basically la dolce vita is everything we in the Western world used to appreciate, but don’t seem to anymore. You know, those little things in life like family, good food, nature, art, having fucking FUN.
Oh, you can’t remember the last time you actually belly laughed? Exactly, that’s my point. You can’t remember how to feel actual, genuine joy anymore. And if you do, you feel guilty about it or like you’re wasting your time because surely there’s some task you could be doing instead of enjoying life.
La dolce vita is everything that the Western culture is lacking on a fundamental level. And for that simple reason I can guarantee that the Italian lifestyle can, and will make you happier than the capitalistic nightmare that most of us call ‘life’.
IF you’re able to climb down from that high horse of overfloawing privilege and understand that the world actually doesn’t revolve around you, let’s get to it.
Why the Italian Lifestyle is Better for Your Health 2026
My second Winter in Italy led me to some major realisations in regards to all of the above. And it was all triggered by me getting annoyed with the Italian restaurant opening hours. Instead of being open all day long, many places are open in the morning between 12pm – 3pm, and then again in the evening between 7pm – 12am.
Also, Italian cafés, restaurants and bars don’t often like it if you open your laptop at a table. La dolce vita is all about appreciating and enjoying the moment, especially when it comes to food. So, to even consider working while enjoying a pastry and a cuppa, is a direct insult to the Italian lifestyle.
This I, of course, found extremely inconvenient at first. As a solo-preneur I prefer to work in cafés where I’m surrounded by people. If you tell them you’re not working, you might be allowed to continue tapping away, but work is something the Italians will not mix with food.
And when you actually think about it, it makes perfect sense! Phones and laptops at the table where others are eating is unhealthy and idiotic. The fact that we’ve come to behave in such a way, as if it was our right, is worrying. Why? Well, let me explain with 4 simple points.
DISCLAIMER
If you get offended at any point while reading this, remember that it is your right and your PERSONAL responsibility to deal with
1. Italian lifestyle puts your wellbeing above everything else
What is Western culture fundamentally? It goes pretty much like this: we wake up, go to work, come home, eat a takeaway, watch telly, go to sleep. The next day we repeat that. And the next, and the next until we can’t anymore. And just like that we’ve wasted this one life not enjoying a moment of it.
Western culture is hyper-focused around work. We must be efficient contributors to the society, as in make as much money for our bosses as possible. Now, work as such is the same in Italy. But life outside of work is not!
Adopting a new mindset towards work
The Italian lifestyle puts free time above work! They work to afford to live as they please, which is to enjoy it. Now, that I can relate to! While in the West we seem to work with a very different mindset: we chase recognition, a bonus, success. But what about succeeding in your life?
Because do we actually NEED to put work ahead of taking the time to enjoy our lunch, other people’s company and just the life we have? In fact, if you do put work above your personal life, you are a downright TWAT.
But those who feel so exhausted by the end of a work week that they would rather sleep through the weekend, does it HAVE TO be like that? Is your work really so important, that if you don’t excel in it, the world will collapse? As in, your job is the thing that makes the whole planet go round?
No? Well, why are you putting so much pressure on yourself in regards to it then? It’s not your company = it’s not your responsibility. Do the work you’re paid to do, nothing else. That is enough.
2. Learning to appreciate and find joy in the little things
Once you set your fundamental life priorities in order as described above, you’ll notice an immediate change in your energy levels, clarity of mind and wellbeing. All of a sudden you have more head space to contemplate other things than just work.
And that’s where the journey to embracing the Italian lifestyle begins. When your focus is more free to wander, and you start putting more attention to doing things that you actually enjoy, you will start noticing things that you didn’t appreciate before.
Little things in life that are the base for feeling content with life. The actual source of happiness.
Now, the difficulty to get to that point can be our misinformed understanding of our privilege. Especially up North! We’re so bloody privileged we think we deserve every comfort in life as a birthright. But then we don’t appreciate any of it!!
I’ll be honest with you; in my eyes, as long as you’re unaware of your privilege and incapable of appreciating everything you have in your life (warm house, food on the table, nice clothes, etc.), you deserve the angst and the all-encompassing negativity that you live in. You create your own reality.
3. La dolce vita teaches you to appreciate food again
An average Westerner is a fundamentally unhealthy person. Even if you may be physically in mint condition, your mental health is lacking in many ways. Or vice versa. Our culture is detrimental to our health, and it’s all been designed that way.
If we’d be happy we wouldn’t be spending stupid amounts of money on useless crap on Amazon because shopping gives us a quick surge of dopamine.
And one of the best ways to prove that this culture has been specifically designed to NOT serve us, is the food we eat. The more processed your food is, the more unhealthy your body is regardless of how many times a week you go to the gym.
As everybody knows, the Italian lifestyle very much revolves around food, and specifically around respecting and enjoying good food. By that I mean that in Italy they take their time to cook, they use fresh, healthy ingredients and they eat together. Why don’t we do that?
Oh yeah, because you were convinced that your boss and the company you work for is more important than you! Is it though??
Learn to enjoy food like an Italian
Taking the time to properly enjoy cooking and eating feels like too much of a hassle for us, especially if we’re single and living alone. In case you’re willing to question that unhealthy thought pattern, though, I have a suggestion for you!
My dear friend, Paola, is a cooking mindset mentor. Her Instagram, TheTinyItalian, is filled with tips on how to change that unhealthy mindset towards food into a soul-nourishing one. She also organizes online cooking sessions, where you cook her recipe with her and other participants in real time.
It’s a perfect combo of socializing, fun, learning to cook and trying new things. And of course eating something that is more delicious than you thought you could ever manage. A piece of Italian lifestyle that is healthy for your mind and body!
4. Italian lifestyle forces you to slow down
“We’re not here to execute anything!” is an exclamation a family friend once made on our family holiday to Greece. There were 30 of us(!) and one morning we were all in a rush to get moving. He didn’t feel the same way, since he had absorbed the holiday spirit, and rightly so.
It’s an exclamation that quickly became a family joke, but also a lifeline that I have since then incorporated into my life as one of its main pillars. Which is why the Italian lifestyle seems very familiar to me. I’ve embraced the Italian lifestyle and its fundamental values quite early on in my life.
And for that reason I can actually vouch for the benefits of it! I am truly happy, living this life for me, myself and I, NOT for my clients, my family or anyone else.
I’m not in a hurry to make more money, I’m making enough. I am not chasing anyone’s approval but mine. I’m not wasting time and energy trying to get attention from someone who clearly isn’t willing to give it.
Because I’ve noticed that when we put ourselves, our own wellbeing and health first, we are happier, which also makes everybody around us happier.
So, my suggestion to you today is to stop for just 2 minutes and ask yourself this question: what are the core values that you want to live by? Not sure what I mean by ‘core values’?
Determine your core values like this:
- Identify the points in your life when you felt the happiest
- Remind yourself of the times in your life you felt proud of yourself
- Was there ever a moment when you felt completely content? What was it?
- Identify the common nominator between all these 3 moments in your life. Your core values are based in those aspects of your life, so you should focus on bringing more of them in your daily life
The Italian lifestyle is all about focusing on the right things: being the best version of ourselves for ourselves. You’ve heard it a million times, you can’t make anyone happy if you’re not happy yourself first.
And at the end of the day, it’s never your responsibility to make anyone else happy, so focus on you. If you ask the Italians, it’s worth it.
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What do you think? Did any of this ring a bell, maybe even trigger something within? Or does it all sound like a lot of waffle to you? I’d love to hear your thoughts, let’s chat below! ♥
