The Patience of Pura Vida

You’ve no doubt heard of the term “pura vida,” and you’ll want to experience the phenomena on your dream vacation to Costa Rica.

So how can you feel the pura vida like a local?

By practicing patience.

Patience might be a virtue, but it seems to be in steep decline these days. With the invention of Uber and Lyft, DoorDash, A.I., X and unlimited streaming services, patience is in short supply.

Now, now, now — there’s no time to wait!

If you’ve downloaded an app like Headspace, or have tried to slow down your pace at times, a trip to Costa Rica and a dabble in pura vida is exactly what the doctor ordered.

What does Pura Vida mean?

The term “pura vida” goes back at least 50 years. When translated into English, it often comes up as “pure life,” or “simple life.” But pura vida is so much more than a word; pura vida is a lifestyle.

While Tico’s have grown up with the ways of the pura vida lifestyle, most of us from Canada, the USA, UK or EU have put a greater emphasis on efficiency and improvement, and spent little time reflecting on patience.

But don’t worry, you can easily begin practicing patience and pura vida on your upcoming vacation to one of our spectacularly peaceful ocean-view villas.

Costa Ricans often toss in a “pura vida” or two during conversations. Like “aloha” in Hawaii, the Tico’s word is extremely versatile, and can mean both “hello” and “goodbye.”

It can also mean “don’t worry” and “no problem.” They might swap it in for “you’re welcome” or use it instead of “it’s all good.”

At its essence pura vida signifies a laid-back approach to life, a calm sense of gratitude and peace in the face of almost any situation. Ultimately, pura vida is only accomplished with patience.

How to practice patience and live the “Pura Vida” lifestyle:

Driving in Costa Rica

According to Calm, one of the best ways to cultivate patience is to start by “embracing minor annoyances in your daily life.” They specifically suggest “the next time you’re in that long line or stuck in traffic, use this as an opportunity to practice patience rather than succumbing to frustration.”

We see this all the time in Costa Rica.

If there’s a delay due to traffic, the locals use the opportunity to get out of the car, stretch their legs and take in the scenery. They befriend the driver in front of them or behind them. You may even see someone grab a soccer ball out of the trunk and start up an impromptu scrimmage right in the road.

You see, smashing the dashboard and getting fidgety doesn’t really work in the land of positive vibes.

Weather in Costa Rica

The next suggestion to practice patience is to shift your perspective. How one deals with the whims of Mother Nature is a perfect example. Calm suggests that “instead of viewing a situation as a frustrating obstacle, try to see it as a chance to pause, reflect, or even learn something new.”

One of the main reasons people flock to the unspoiled natural zones in Costa Rica is to experience nature at its finest. Rushing rivers that flow into stunning beaches with endless empty stretches of sand. Lush jungle canopies that separate only at the sleepy dirt road path meandering through the hillside to your villa. Costa Rica is something to behold.

But without the rainfall of the green season, we wouldn’t have this stunning rainforest. And the locals know this and appreciate nature’s gifts, while many foreigners may see this as an annoying inconvenience.

In the green season, locals know to be patient.

They might wait out a brief rain shower by catching up with friends or loved ones over a coffee. Then go about with their scheduled day after the rain passes.

If the power goes out, they’ll use that quiet time to play a game of cards with their grandparents, or walk to a neighbor’s house to hear the latest gossip.

Patience is Pura Vida

The next tip for practicing patience is to accept what you can’t control. Instead, focus on what you can influence and let go of the rest.

If you find yourself stressing out over rainfall, a traffic delay or listening to your teen complain that they cannot survive without wireless internet, you have two choices. You can attempt to force the situation, which would be the least pura vida thing to do, or you can embrace it and opt for a more patient response. 

Challenge your teens to come up with five things they can do without power — many of us survived a childhood that did not include 24/7 screentime. 

Games like iSpy are incredible in the jungle, just ask any birder. You can literally spend hours staring into the jungle, observing the wildlife in action.

Board games are another easy way to distract technology-lovers. That epic trivial pursuit game you indulged in from your ocean view villa will turn into a family memory you’ll cherish forever.

Family Vacation in Costa Rica

Finally, be sure to remember what matters most to you. It’s highly likely that your end goal when planning the vacation was to spend time with the ones you love. It’s easy to forget this when you have a tour scheduled and are worried you won’t get there in time. Or if there’s a minor inconvenience, such as being unable to log into your Netflix account during a power outage.

But if there’s no storm risk, the swimming pool is a great place to be screen free and still spend quality time with your favorite people. Search the coastline for migrating whales if you visit during migration months. Listen for the distinct call of a toucan in the trees surrounding you.

If there’s a hang-up getting to or from point A to point B, we are quite sure you could pull off the highway and lay out your towels on a local beach for an hour. You may even spot a pair of macaws, or a sleepy sloth overhead and find that it turns out to be one of the best beach days you’ve ever had.

A pura vida vacation is always possible, just take a look around you and you’ll see the locals living life to the fullest. We hope you do, too.

And with that we say … Pura vida, my friend!