Craving the Best of it All

Do you believe in quality over quantity? 

Are you craving more in life right now?

I'm going to talk about how you're potentially craving the best of it all. I found myself recently craving better things—not more things, but better things. 

My personal experiences

I'm just about to head out to Tokyo and then the Philippines and Bali. As I talk with my travel friend, she says, "You know, Diane, I've gone backpacking, I've stayed in hostels. I've done the whole cheap and cheerful thing, and I'm just beyond that now. I want a nice place. I want to stay in quality." Maybe you're feeling this way too.

I realized as I get older—there are certain things I will not do anymore. 

• I don't want to take public transit from the airport. I'm going to get an Uber or taxi. 
• I'm going to go for that bigger room at a hotel. 
• I want the nicer wine with dinner. ​

It's not even just for travel and food. It's spilling out into my relationships, my home, the projects I say yes to and no to, and the clients I work with. In every single area of my life, I want the best. 

It's not that I didn't want the best before. I valued other things over having the best or more things, rather than fewer things.

When I think about North America, we have this way of needing to have more. You need to have 20 pairs of sunglasses and multiple pairs of shoes, and a bigger, better car, and it continues and continues. ​

But there's also a factor around the fact that we're getting less. If you travel to other countries, you may see that portion sizes are smaller because they contain more nutrition. 

When you aren't getting the quality you're looking for in one area of your life, you will seek excess in that area and others. You're going to be wanting more. Our bodies want more food because we're getting less nutrition. We're getting more clothing and items from cheap places like Shein and Temu because we’re craving something else. More doesn’t fill the void.

But the fact that we're not satisfied with what it is, we are drawn to do more, get more, buy more, and have more. But it's providing us with less happiness, less connection, less nutrition, and more yearning for other things. 

That's why we often feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff, feel overworked because our schedules are completely chock-full of things because they're not the right things. We're eating too much, or we're getting overweight because we're never satisfied. We have all these connections on Facebook and LinkedIn and Instagram and stuff, but how many of them are actually quality connections? 

I'm at this place in my life—and maybe you are too—where, frankly, less is more. I'm just sick of how much stuff, how much has been in my schedule, and I really want quality over quantity in all areas of life. 

That's why I love watching Tiny House Nation. I'm a little obsessed with watching people downsize and enter these tiny homes. I don't need an 8,000-square-foot home. But, I also don't want to live in just 350 square feet because I have a family and I value my space, so I can recharge, especially with the work I do. It's very external and very client-focused and I’m often in presentation mode.

This peaked for me too when I met some friends who lived on a boat—an actual boat with a house in the bottom of it. I was really intrigued because the kids only had a very small floor cupboard where they could put their toys, and they only had a few toys. But the thing is, they actually played with them. Where I look at what my kids have, and they have lots of toys, and they barely play with them. These kids on this boat, they were so happy, and they were imaginative, and they were helpful around the house, and they had rich friendships. 

I thought, “Wow, this comes from choosing less, but the best.” This is the joy of focusing on the quality. But we're not as intentional about our lives sometimes because society dictates how we should be, and it's that more being shoved down our throats all the time.

Over the past few years, I've been streamlining my business and only choosing the best. I've been focusing on having the best in my home, the best in my life, and the best connections.

Are you wanting that too? I'm sure you're at this point in your life that you go, “Wow, I'm not 20 anymore.” You've grown in wisdom, you've grown in experience, and you've grown in taste in what you want, and you're not going to settle for garbage or mediocre anymore. 

The benefits of focusing on a quality-over-quantity lifestyle

I will talk through some of the benefits of focusing on a quality-over-quantity lifestyle, where you are going for the best in whatever that term is for you. 

It doesn't need to be the most expensive; it's not necessarily the biggest, but it's what you are craving as the best for you. In the wheel of life, for myself and my clients I'm always looking for what is the best in every single area, meaning what is ideal for you at this stage of life, with what you're desiring, what is best for you.

#1: Long-term satisfaction and savouring the flavor of life

You're at a point now where you believe that you're going to look for long-term satisfaction over a short-term gain. You want to savour it—savour the flavor, per se. 

Think of a gourmet meal where every single bite is rich in flavour and fresh ingredients. It's satisfying. It's memorable. Instead of stuffing your face with fast food, you don't want that anymore. You want to indulge in something that's truly delicious. ​

You see how you can have experiences that maybe give you less quantity, but make up for it in quality so you are satisfied. You're eating less food, and having experiences that maybe cost a little bit more. But you know that you're going to have a better memory of it. 

No one really remembers the street meat they had in college after the bar. You're not going to remember how good it was. You're not going to remember the burger from that fast food joint. It just served a purpose to fill your belly. But what you are going to remember are those special meals that you've gone to where you had the chef’s table or the food told a story. 

I lived in Japan for 3 years back in my early 20’s. I remember my first breakfast in Japan at a ryokan, which is like a Japanese-style bed and breakfast, it’s very traditional, and they gave me this tray of foods, with little amounts of foods in each of the bowls: egg, rice, soup, pickled veg and fish. I spent time with the food, I enjoyed the food, and the food was all natural, fresh ingredients, real foods, no fillers, and I will always look back and remember that meal.

Now I'm thinking about my trip soon when I’ll have just three days in Tokyo. This time it’s just a stopover before going to the Philippines to meet my virtual assistant team. It’s not about just savouring the flavour of the best restaurants, but also the places, the people and the accommodation. I want to see the best attractions, temples and natural wonders. I want to stay at a great hotel. I'm staying right in the heart of Tokyo so that I am close to everything because my time is so valuable.

You probably believe time is valuable too. Are your actions backing that up?

Maybe you have aging parents, or they've passed. Maybe you have other people around you who are becoming widows, which is crazy to think. I'm going to be 45 in September, and it’s crazy to think I know many widows and I see how life is short. My dad passed at almost 80. So I'm more than the middle of his age. 

Craving the best is all about making smart choices that will pan out for you in the long-term big time because it will help in other areas.

Think right now about where can you savour the flavor? Where can you slow down a little bit, have a little bit less, and know that's going to give you long-term satisfaction? 

#2: Value

You appreciate value. Yes, you want more bang for your buck and all that. But you're at this point where you think, “Oh, I'd rather have one classic piece of clothing, one amazing outfit that I'm going to feel like a superstar in, rather than 10 outfits that fall apart after a few washes or look terrible.” 

You know that it's about the quality, the value you're going to get out of it. My rule used to be that I don't buy linen because it's terrible to take care of. But I've heard such good things about wearing natural fabrics. Maybe you have jumped on this bandwagon, but I hadn't, because earlier, I was more focused on wanting life to be easy and efficient. Buying linen that crinkles and wrinkles, and then having to iron it every time I wear it wasn’t efficient for me.

But the thing is, now I'm going to give it a try. And if it's a high-quality piece I'm willing to invest a little bit more in something that will last longer and I will take better care of it. I want to buy really amazing pieces, not fast fashion—amazing pieces that I cherish and get excited to wear, like seeing a really great friend. 

Value is the second piece of why moving to craving the best and is going to be better for you.

#3: Personal fulfillment

I really want you to have that feel-good factor most of the time, and that comes from having high-quality experiences, high-quality items and people in your life. There's a difference between having a beautiful shirt or a cheap shirt. Again, you could be spending the same amount of money. You could buy one shirt for $100 or ten shirts at $10 each—either way, you've spent the same amount of money. This isn't about money; it's about how you feel when you're wearing these pieces and when you're having these experiences. If I have one amazing superstar outfit, I’ll show up better in my business and life.

Choose the things that really bring you joy and get you fired up. For example, if you're the type of person who loves thrilling roller coasters at amusement parks, great, go for it! That brings you joy, so that's what you should go for instead of a dull merry-go-round, because you're going to talk about that amazing roller coaster forever. But if you love the swings that go up in the air and it brings you joy, then wait in line for that and skip the roller coaster if you don’t like it. It’s about choosing what's right for you and craving the best in every area of life.

Often when we settle with good enough, we will feel an emptiness, a yearning for more and itch we can’t scratch. Sometimes a lack of fulfillment personally can have us blaming people like our spouse or leaving a job because we feel that is the cause. It can lead to bad habits, addiction and drastic moves.

#4: Sustainability

Quality over quantity. It isn’t just great for you—having quality items that last a long time is so good for the planet. For example, the other day, we had to move some things into our carry-on luggage from our suitcase, and I didn’t realize my daughter had a full-size toothpaste in there. ​

I felt bad for the toothpaste and for the environment because that toothpaste went straight into the garbage rather than being used, even though it was just a $2 or $3 toothpaste. It wasn’t about the money; it was about the planet and how it was such a waste. Excess and not having the best causes us to over buy and toss things away. 

It kills me to see the amount of waste in the world. I grew up in a very eco-conscious family where everything had a new purpose. Everything could be reused. For example, empty toilet paper rolls were cut in half, and my dad used them as starter holders for his plants in the garden. The great thing is, you put them in the garden, and they naturally compost.

Actually, quality over quantity will make you super eco-chic. It’s not beneath me to buy second-hand or take hand-me-downs for my kids. It’s not beneath me to eat leftovers from the day before. I have a strong value for caring for the environment, and craving the best means you’re not just chucking things and getting rid of them. You’re going to value and care for the things you have because you love them.

#5: Avoiding overwhelm

You get to avoid overwhelm. I mentioned decluttering and having less, but it's more about choosing to keep things really simple and streamlined. This applies to your business, career, and the things you do. It’s so satisfying to have less in your calendar, less in your home, and fewer things in your closet to care for. Having that clutter-free zen in all areas of life means you can truly love and be present for the things that matter most.

#6: Depth of experience and connection

I’ve realized with the Dynamic Women Community I knew everyone by name, which chapter they had joined, and their professions. But after growing to eight locations, running events in each location every single month, it got to the point where I didn’t know everyone anymore. I’d think I was meeting someone for the first time, only to realize it was actually the second time. I didn’t like that for myself. I desired closer connections and that would mean less.

I see how the quality and depth of connections grow when you focus on the best relationships for you. Over the years, I’ve let some relationships go. During COVID, my Facebook account was deactivated, and I went from almost 4,000 connections (or more, maybe closer to 5,000—I don’t remember) to just 1,500 connections now. 

Now, I’m more thoughtful about who I allow into my life and who gets to be in my circle. It’s not that I think I’m the best and not everyone gets to be my friend. It’s more about who I’m most connected to and with whom I can deepen a relationship. Maybe you’re thinking about that too—maybe it’s time to cull your contact list or reconsider who you’re connected with on social media and who you gift your time to.

Wrapping Up

These are just a few reasons why you might also be craving the best in every area of your life. This realization hit me during a recent coaching session. I have a few coaches, and I realized that I really want to curate an amazing group of women who come together to break bread, share a meal, who are also craving the best. 

It got me thinking about how much I loved Dynamic Women events years back, where you got to connect with a lot of people and get a taste of what they were like. But even though it was still a big room of 30 people, maybe at our bigger events, 100 or more people, maybe you’ve been to conferences or conventions with 1,500 or 5,000 people, and it was overwhelming. 

You don’t get to have that moment of really connecting with people. But when you have that real connection, you don’t have to do a ton of follow-up calls or collect business cards, because you’ll go straight into their contact list on their phone. That’s the difference—the difference between, “Can I have your card? Let’s connect on LinkedIn,” and “What’s your number? Let’s meet up next week for coffee.”

So I created this event. I’m going to do one and we’ll see where it goes. I feel this is going to be so good, so rich, and so juicy. You’re invited! Women in North Vancouver, BC, and the surrounding area, or if you want to fly in, you’re invited to this amazing event called Taste. 

Our first one is on September 11th, from 6:30 to 9:30 PM. It’s an exclusive dinner party experience for successful female business owners in North Vancouver, BC, or the surrounding area. You can drive in, or you can travel in, but I’m warning you, this is not your typical transactional networking event. Where I’m at in my business, I don’t need to meet hundreds or thousands of people anymore. I just want strategic and enriching friendships, strategic business relationships, and deep friendships in my life. I have a bunch of those, but I’m always open for more because, again, I’m craving the best.

With Taste, the intention is to satisfy your cravings for energizing conversations—not the small-talk garbage you get at other events—and deeper connections where you’re like, “Whoa, we’re on the same wavelength!” 

The major focus is on who you are, rather than what you do. You don’t have time for fluff. You don’t have time to show up at an event and get pitched to in the first 30 seconds. It’s time to show up in a place where you get to fully taste—taste the food, get a taste for what others are about and taste the experience. We’re doing a three-course meal: appetizer, entrée, and dessert. You’ll get a welcome signature cocktail, networking, and conversation with a curated group of women.

So please check it out. If you’re in the area, I’d love to see you, and so would the other women who are coming. 

What can you expect? We’re going to kick off the evening with fun, warm introductions—not those boring elevator pitches. Then we’ll dive into our topic for the night: balancing being strong and feminine. We’re leaders, we’re powerful, we’re independent, but we also want to be the amazing, wonderful feminine women that we are. But how do we balance that when we’re often in our masculine at work?

Why did I create Taste? Well, our time and energy are precious. At this level that we’re at,—and probably the level you’re at in your life, business, or career—it’s all about quality over quantity. Like in business, I’m super selective about who I work with. I’m very intentional about where I go, what I do, and who I spend my time with. But we don’t want to be lone wolves. We don’t want to be silos, doing all the work and being leaders all by ourselves. I created Taste to connect more intentionally and, frankly, to have some fun and eat some good food.

If you’re interested in joining us, this is a curated event where I’m asking everyone who wants to attend to fill out an application so that we get the right people there. If you are someone that likes to card sling, you love small talk, and you love surface level networking, this is not the event for you. 

This is for those who want to meet others who are aligned with themselves, who can be intentional, high-level women who want quality over quantity. I invite you to check it out and to get your ticket. It’s a small group, because we are doing quality over quantity, because I'm craving the best, and I know you are too, and this is going to be an amazing experience. 

Read my other blogs:

1. Sometimes I Feel Alone
2. Stop Doing This So You Can Be Happy
3. Step Into Who You Are Meant to Be