In this episode, Kunal shares how four years of living with a stunning Lisbon view taught him that postcards stop being postcards when they become your everyday reality—and why the discomfort of difference might be exactly what helps us see beauty again.
Key takeaways:
- The extraordinary becomes ordinary without contrast—appreciation requires fresh eyes and comparison to maintain perspective
- Difference usually registers as discomfort, but it serves a hidden purpose: revealing what we've stopped noticing in our familiar lives
- Inviting visitors into your space lets you borrow their wonder and rediscover the postcards you've been living inside all along
Subscribe to How to Live wherever you listen to podcasts and visit howtolive.blog to read the full essay and explore more reflections on seeing your life with fresh eyes.
Timestamps:
(0:15) Introduction and returning to Lisbon winter sunrises
(1:05) The invisible building and postcard view
(2:20) When extraordinary becomes ordinary
(3:30) Why contrast is essential for appreciation
(4:45) Learning to see discomfort as a mirror
(6:15) Borrowing visitors' fresh eyes as practice
(7:30) Expectation, disappointment, and gratitude
(8:50) The practice of seeing what's actually here
