Is My Life What I Dreamed it Would be?

Welcome to your life. That’s what popped into my head as I woke, and grabbed my phone to write. It’s that underlying thought that plagues me frequently. That conversation that continues to play in my mind. Your life, is it everything you dreamed it would be? Is it everything you wanted it to be? Is your life everything you thought it would be when you were younger? 

For many, nearing 50 years old (yes, I will be 50 on Feb. 23, 2018, mark your calendars – I expect lots of birthday wishes!) it becomes a time of self reflection that can go many different ways. 

Some people will panic, and try to recapture their youth, often times in completely unhealthy ways. That saddens me. Honestly it does. Watching someone leave their family to ‘find themselves’, sometimes in an affair, sometimes divorce, or the party scene, it is disheartening. 

Some people will look back over their lifetime and feel that it is too late for change and will just complacently coast along until death. This reminds me of a quote by Ben Franklin ‘most men die at 25 and wait until 75 to be buried.’ 

Some people are more like Henry David Thoreau   ‘The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation’, in that they are unhappy, and negative. Kind of the ‘another day another dollar’ or the ‘it is what it is’ mindset. I believe this is where a lot of antidepressants and also drug and alcohol abuse come in to play. They are dissatisfied with their lives but not enough to delve into why, and what positive changes they could make, but enough to want to numb themselves from the discomfort of giving up on life. 

BUT WAIT! I know so far this sounds so discouraging, but there are other mindsets out there, and that’s what I hope to shed some light upon. 

Some people will look back over the years and feel a sense of pride and accomplishment, and continue to do the things that are giving them fulfillment and joy. These are people that have learned that the secret to life is no secret, it’s to live life and share it with others. 

Some people will look back and decide that where they have been, and what they have gone through are what made them who they are and are an incredible catalyst for them and they will delve into learning and serving. There’s no age restrictions for ‘giving back’ and so many opportunities to serve out there. 

Some people will decide it is time to overcome fear and do something great with their lives. They will realize that there is still time to make an impact on the world, and they will step forward and do what it takes to do that. There are many stories of people that completely switched careers or changed gears and began serving over seeking financial gain, or even stepped out with a hobby and created a venue to share that.

So, that’s my thought for you today, as I reflect upon it myself. I believe Chris Brady, CEO & motivational speaker, says it best ‘20 years from now, what will you wish you had done today?’ 

So, in response to my beginning paragraph, I would have to say no. In some ways my life is so much better than I ever imagined, and in other ways, my life has certainly attributed to making me who I am. I find that I haven’t delivered as  much to the world as I would have liked. But I am excited about the fact that I have already begun to make the adjustments in my life to change that! I have been blessed with the opportunity to do this blog with my incredible daughter. I have begun my personal life coaching business. My daughter and I are becoming inspirational / motivational speakers sharing throughout the world. Also, I am currently on my way to Los Angeles for Mosaic’s Into the Unknown conference, that not only am I attending to learn even more from some of the greats, but also I am serving while I am out there! 

So, for me, I’ll not wallow in self pity that I’m almost half a century old. I won’t whine and complain to the grave. I’ll not flitter the rest of my life away. I will daily jump up and proclaim:

‘Carpe Diem! Seize the day!’ 

What will be your legacy?

Cheers, Amy