I came across a quote today that really made an impact on me -”Live every day of your life“. I can’t remember the name of the person who came up with that little pearl of wisdom but whoever it is, they are very wise.
How many of us just wander aimlessly through life not really living, just going through the motions? Our days are so busy with a magnitude of commitments and responsibilities.
We have to go to work so we can support ourselves, we have to do housework so our homes are a haven, we have to wash and iron our clothes, we have to do the food shopping so we can eat and then we have to prepare our food.
If we look after ourselves the way we deserve we will ensure we prepare healthy, nutritious foods that will nurture us. We will also make time so we can exercise, strengthen and care for our bodies.
Phew…what a list! I feel a little overwhelmed just having thought all of that and it’s only a scraping off the top of the routine that surrounds our lives. It’s no wonder that we switch into automatic pilot!
The problem with automatic pilot is that the days and weeks go by without us really noticing. By the time we stop, take a breath and look around months have flown past and we don’t know where the time has gone.
Imagine if we spent our entire lives in auto pilot? We could suddenly wake up at 85 years of age with the realisation that our limited time on this Earth was not used to its full potential.
Not wasted exactly because even in auto pilot mode we manage to have successes and failures and experience milestones.
You could still raise well-adjusted children to be proud of; you could still positively contribute to the community or achieve your personal goals.
Those are not the things I am talking about. To fully LIVE every moment of your life you need to be in the moment. Enjoy the NOW. You can plan for your future, that is a sensible thing to do. You can enjoy and relive memories.
You still need to look after your responsibilities and commitments. But what you need to make sure you do is LIVE in the NOW as well. It’s the small things that are easy to do that can really make a difference.
When you walk outside in the morning on your way to work, take a moment to enjoy the crispness of the morning and notice the dew on the grass. Enjoy the sunsets in the evening and revel in the glorious colours that light up the sky.
Go outside, lie on the lawn and see what shapes you can see in the clouds. If you’ve always wanted to go hot air ballooning, book in and go. Schedule time to do things that you enjoy.
Find a balance with work/life. Meditate (only if that appeals to you). Above all, notice what is going on around you – the sights, the sounds, the smells and how you feel about it all.
Laugh. Love. Dream. Live.
If you follow that path, you won’t wake up at 85 and wonder where your life has gone. You will have been awake all along.
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Elizabeth Petersen
