“Since our yesterdays are gone and our tomorrows are never promised.”
Today, I want to live my life to the fullest. It’s true, our yesterdays are gone, and our tomorrows are never promised, so it’s important to live for today.
As I look back on the past year of my life, I realize that I don’t have many memories of this year, because I spent so much of my time planning for tomorrow. I lived so much in my head, thinking about what might happen tomorrow, next week, or next month, that I couldn’t enjoy today.
Many of us spend our days self-absorbed and caught up in our thoughts about what may lay on the horizon. Wouldn’t it be better to enjoy where we are today, bobbing in a raft on the ocean, admiring the view, and enjoying each adventure for what it is? The future is like the ocean: big, scary, unknown, and even dark. You never know when there’ll be a drop in the ocean floor, nor do you know how much future there is ahead of you. Instead of hoping for and concentrating on being happy in the future, we can enjoy what’s happening now.
I keep hearing of people making a bucket list for all the things they want to do before they die. Why not just have a “to do” list? I’d rather have a list for now, when I’m young, so I can truly enjoy the things I want to see and do. Why wait until I’m older and shove a lifetime of living into just a few years? I don’t want to wait until I’m ready to retire to complete the things on a “bucket list.” Every one of us will die, but not every one of us will truly live. I want to live life to the fullest, not just dream about what life might be in the future.
So if there’s something you’ve always wanted to do, go do it. If there’s something you’ve always wanted to see, go see it. And if there are people that you love, tell them how you feel. Don’t wait. Do it NOW! Enjoy today, because you will never have it again.
Tips for living today and enjoying the present:
- Stop and take a breath. Slow down. Immerse yourself in whatever it is you are doing. Drinking a cup of coffee? Savor each sip, taste each flavor, smell the aroma. Engage with each person you meet. Really listen to what they are saying. Hiking in the woods? Smell the trees, the flowers, the brambles. Savor the sounds of the wildlife; the birds, the chipmunks, the fish gliding through the streams.
- Think about the future, but don’t stop yourself from living today. It’s OK to make plans for things you want to do or accomplish later on in life, but live for today and enjoy each moment.
- Conquer your fears. Don’t let fears hold you hostage. Facing your fears and overcoming them allows you to break free and live a fuller life. Go outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself on a regular basis. When you let fears hold you back, you can’t live a full life, because you let your anxiety get the better of you.
- Create a balance in your life. When your mind, body, and spirit are all in balance it is easier to enjoy life and accomplish your goals. Achieve an inner peace that allows you to experience everything you do on all levels. And allow yourself the luxury of relaxing and de-stressing on a daily basis.
- Be kind to yourself and to others. When you feel good about yourself it’s easy to feel good towards others. Pay it forward when you can.
- "Dance. Smile. Giggle. Marvel. Trust. Hope. Love. Wish. Believe. Most of all, enjoy every moment of the journey, and appreciate where you are at this moment, instead of always focusing on how far you have to go.” --Mandy Hale, The Single Woman: Life, Love, and a Dash of Sass.
- Don’t hang on to things, or people, with no value to your life. Let them go when the time is right.
- Make memories. Every day.
- A lifetime is not infinite. It could end tomorrow, a year from now, or 60 years from now. Value each day, each memory, each relationship. Above all, value yourself and your beliefs.
