You are the sum of your memories
so make every hour,
every minute,
every second
of your life
count
Love like there’s no tomorrow,
laugh till you’re blue in the face,
sing like you’re a famous rockstar,
smile brighter than the sun,
play till your body aches
Savor every moment
Be free
and live to your heart’s content
and know that
you’ve truly experienced
what life is all about.
With my daughter set to go to college in the next few weeks, I reminisced about my journey into higher education. I was so young and ready to take on the world with my hopes and dreams. I took many classes to get exposed to things I never knew about and met a ton of people from all over the world. I started off with a certain major in mind and then changed it over the course of the four years that I was there. I had no qualms about making the decisions that I felt did made me happy…and to this day I have not regretted it. After graduating, I took that vibrant enthusiasm and dove head first into what I can now call my life. Granted there were some bumps along the way and I made decisions that seemed quite drastic but, in the end, it was what was in my best interest. However, there was a period where I played it safe and made choices that I did not care for. Looking back on it now, would I still make the same choices…absolutely not. I’ve come to learn recently that life is really too short and I need to make the choices that will make me the happiest. It might not be the most logical one in other people’s eyes but who give a rip. This is my life and the smart move is to choose what I will like. We have one life, so why not make it an enjoyable one. The whole point of this is to stress that if you have a decision to make with your life, always listen to your gut and choose what will make you happy. That will always be the absolute best move to make.
If there’s something in your life that you don’t like, then do something about it. You truly have the power to make a difference. Nothing is set in stone, so be brave and initiate change. Get a clear picture of what you want and go for it with gusto. You may encounter failures along the way but stay true to yourself and know that you eventually get there if you don’t give up. You have one life, so live it the way you want to. There’s nothing that is so bad that you can’t fix or make better. Believe in yourself and have faith that life can be to your liking. Just dare to try.
When we start out in life, that sense of naivety is truly a blessing. We are born into this world free of judgement. We see others as our equals. We have big dreams. Our imaginations are at its peak. We have no limitations. We don’t know the meaning of quit. We aren’t afraid to take chances and fail. We are curious about the world and seek to learn everything and anything that’s new. We show our appreciation and love openly and abundantly. We say what we feel and then move on with no grudges or hardships toward others. Our honesty leads the way and our good natured spirit keeps us ground. We share our infectious bright beaming smile to everyone we see. And best of all, every hour, every minute, every second is lived to its fullest; we live as if there’s no tomorrow.
Somewhere along the way, as we grew up, we lost some of those shining traits. If we can somehow remember what it felt like to be that child and apply it to our daily routine, then we can say that we are truly living. It’s easy, it doesn’t take much to regain back those redeeming qualities, we just have to be willing to try. So the best way to living our lives is to get back to the fundamentals.
Recently I’ve been contemplating life and reminiscing about my younger self. When I was in my early teens on up into my 20’s, I used to wonder how I measured up to others in the world. I would readily compare myself to family, friends, colleagues or working professionals; did I make a certain amount of income, hold a respected position in a company, have a high status in society or did something that was of importance or value to the public?
I did my utmost to emulate them but to no avail. I sold myself on a bill of goods that I knew was unattainable. Why was it impossible? It’s because they were living their life and pursuing their goals and dreams. I had forgotten all about what I wanted to do with myself. I was so busy worrying about catching up to them that I flat out ignored my passion, my dreams.
When I finally woke up, I realized that I had a new lease on life. My trajectory in this world was on a different course from everyone all together and it was my goal to make it happen. I cared less about the status, fame and wealth of others and started to explore new things, take chances, make tons of mistakes, sought answers and learned to never give up.
It’s through this self-realization that I am where I’m supposed to be right at this moment. It’s a never ending, constantly changing state that I’m okay with. Why? Because it’s my life.
So don’t be so influenced by other people’s place in life that you neglect your own. You have a destiny that needs to be fulfilled by none other than you. So go out into the world and epically fail so that you can tremendously succeed at what you were meant to be!
Start of a new year
Many doors are now open
Possibilities
With eyes wide open
Our dreams are within our grasp
Time to fulfill them
Make your first step count
Take on the world without fear
Everlasting hope
Midlife, Maniacal & Me 