Today has been one of deep introspection.   This morning I learned that someone I used to know in high school had passed away.   I have known many people over the years who have passed well before their time, but for some reason today it hit me really deeply.    I think part of the reason it really got to me is because it made me take a hard look at my life and just how precious our time here is.   No one ever thinks that they will fall victim to a fatal accident, but it happens.   There is no rhyme or reason, but it does.

 

I thought of times I have hung up the phone in anger, or needed to have the last word walking out of the door, every dream that I’ve passed on because I was too afraid of failure, every phone call I’d put off because I’ll do it later, family event I’ve missed because I’ve “had something more important to do”.     It made my heart literally hurt.

Remember the people that matter to you

Forget trying to impress other people, I’ve been guilty of spreading myself so thin over trying to meet other people’s expectations, that I’ve forgotten the people that I love and should put as a priority.   I have a difficult time with this because I do have a lot of people I care about in my life, but those few that I would call if I was in a plane that was going down, I can’t take them for granted.

Take time for yourself

I have NOT been doing this the past couple of months very well at all!   If I’m not working, I am taking care of other obligations, or trying to do something for someone.   No wonder this hit me so hard!   I usually try to take myself on a date once a month.   Nothing fancy, usually just a noodles place and enjoy my meal and my own company.   I have been trying to find new hobbies too during the winter months, summer is easy, I could live outside.

Take care of yourself

Taking time for yourself is one way, but also, eating healthy because you want to be healthy, but not depriving yourself of the occasional treat, moving your body, meditating, keeping a tidy home, basically giving you the environment you deserve to thrive.

Do one thing EVERY day that scares the crap out of you

Growth occurs out of our comfort zone.   If we never face our fears, what are we really living for?   We aren’t really living, we are avoiding life.    Almost every big achievement in my adult life has come from walking through fear.

Smile more, smile at others 

I went for a run today at the park and as I was doing my cool-down lap, I overheard a woman telling her husband, “Wow! Smiles really are infectious!” and it made me think about how I have been scowling a lot more lately and how I used to smile all the time.   I smiled at every single person I passed on the way to my car (which since I am out of practice, it was insanely awkward!) but amazingly, EVERY SINGLE PERSON smiled right back at me.   Wow, I have really been missing the bus lately!

Let go of your ego

My ego will tell me not to be vulnerable, that I can’t try anything new because I may look silly (like this blog!), that EVERYONE is looking at me and judging me, that I must be right at all costs, I have to be the best, prettiest, smartest, ugh, my ego is flawed!    I think life is about our experience and the feelings that we get to experience along the way, the relationships we get to have, it’s the journey.   My ego will fight me 100% on these and say bigger, better, more.   It creeps in and it creeps in often, but the more I practice letting go of my ego, the more peace I find.   If you have never consciously done this, meditation is an awesome tool.

Be gentle on yourself  

We are human, we make mistakes, we grow, we learn.   I have spent way to much of my life expecting more than I could ever be capable, then beating myself up when I don’t get it.   Today I just want to be a little better than I was yesterday, and if I fail, I get an opportunity to try again right now, not tomorrow.   That’s the whole point.

Be in the moment

It’s the only thing that really exists.   The past is gone, we can’t change it.  Learn from it and move on, dwelling in it just wastes time.   Tomorrow isn’t here yet.   Do what you can now.   99% of the things I worry about never happen.   Imagine what I could do with all the time I spent worrying on things that are complete fiction?   Yep, the is right, live more!

Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed to us.   We only have what we have in this moment, it may be more or less than yesterday, and tomorrow may have different opportunities.    Today, I am a little more grateful for my life and the opportunities, experiences, and people in them.   I encourage everyone who reads this to take the time to tell a loved one you appreciate them today.

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How do you make sure you are truly living your life?