Each climb is a different route and along the way the higher up you go the more amazing the view becomes. The more you begin to appreciate the true things in life. The things we value too little as we get consumed by our busy day to day lives, hustling for the paycheck to pay the bills and enjoy what we believe we need to enjoy through consumption. We leave out the simple things like walking in the woods, climbing a mountain, swimming in the ocean until you can’t swim no more, running until you fall over, reading in the sun, planting a tree, talking for hours on end about the true friendships in life. You get the picture, no?
What we “make” of it.
Being incapable of carrying out athletic activities has made me realize how much I long for something I cannot carry out. Why is it that we loose vision of what matters most when our minds get caught up into things that we “make” important. Keyword here is “make”. It is only then, that moment where we do not have what we assumed to be normal, that we begin pondering – “what if….” So here is the ultimate question. What would you do should you only have 3 months to live? Not one day, not a week or even a month. But three. What would you do? Envision this. Where ever you are right now, visually picture how you have just learned that you only have three months to live. Period. No whens and buts, only a literal “dead”-line. What are the first thoughts that come to your mind? What is on your bucket list? What if the bills, the job, the routine, the things you make important in your daily life actually don’t really matter. I do want to take this to the extreme. If you knew that you had 7.889e+6 seconds to live – what would you do? Whom would you want to talk too? Where would you want to go? What would you want to eat and drink?
I might be taking it a bit overboard. But give it some thought. I sat on our terrace today, coming home and watched Athos and Yara, our beagles, run around and play a bit before heading out with them. It reminded me of how much I enjoy that serenity of seeing others happy and excited. That state of gratefulness that dogs express. Why do we humans not find ourselves in that state of gratefulness more frequently than we are. We struggle to find our meaning in life, where we belong and what we are set to do. No? So take a minute, reflect in peace and quiet what you value most. Don’t ask yourself “what if?” Rather ask yourself what am I going to do next? What are my plans for tomorrow? Take note of them. Challenge yourself and the current day to day you live and let come upon you. Take that moment to read a chapter in the book you have been meaning to read. Take a break and go on a stroll with your significant other. Go to the gym and get on that treadmill and run like there is no tomorrow. Soak in your surroundings and love who you are, where you are.
To conform or not to conform?
In today’s society we are asked to conform to the standards that the majority uphold as correct. Now this could be a whole different post (noted down), however what I mean is you get your job, you create something, you earn a paycheck, you do your tasks well and all is good. I have had the blessed opportunity to have known some great people who have taught me the mindset, and yes I often forget as well, but the mindset of “doing what they want to do and saying what they wanted to say,” only because they know that their time has come due to whatever circumstance that may be. These people took more risks. They had this whole new clarity that we don’t see because of our day to day clutters in life. Their priorities suddenly changed. Why? – Ill tell you why. Its because we get over crowded and over cluttered with all those things people tell us is important and all those things that they tell us needs to be done, which brings me back to the first sentence of this paragraph.
The Challenge
Now rather than just saying “what would you do?” – Here is my challenge to you:
1. Live Completely – Focus on relationships that are important to you. People that know that its about to end often state how in life they have neglected this and the same goes for me. I know that I need to contact someone however often fail to do so because I get caught up in so many things. Don’t leave anything unsaid. Tell somebody exactly what you want to say. Get it out.
2. Live Passionately – Stop procrastinating. Stop that someday, sometime attitude and begin to lead a life with purpose. Now most of you will say, but I have a job which I cant quit because I have bills to pay. But here is the catch. “Someday when every becomes a bit more relaxed or settles down, than we can really focus on doing this or doing that.” “Once the kids grow up than we can really get engaged in this group.” However things will never settle down. You need to realize the here and now moment. Plan for tomorrow. Plan for a few months ahead, but live for today.
3. Learn Humbly – I am a smart-ass and I know it. However one thing I have learned these past years is to never stop learning. I will listen to anybody and everybody, no matter my personal judgment, because I believe that each person in their individual way has something to teach me whether younger, older, more experience in a specific area, richer, poorer, and so forth. I have learned to take what I need and to adjust it and make it better for me. Use the talents and gifts bestowed unto you and make them greater. Learn, never stop learning.
4. Be Bold – What I mean by this is one simple statement – leave a lasting legacy. No matter what you do or where you are – whether in your job, with those whom you share a connection (ie: friendships, family, etc) – leave an impact. Its not about how much money you have, what car you drive, how smart you are, your house, business or any other material possessions. In the end its about the impact you have on the lives of others. How you have touched their souls.
So live your day like it was your last. We all have a bad day and times where we feel exhausted – physically, mentally, physiologically. Take it a step beyond and get your hustle on.
What would you do if you had three months left?
HAU REIN!