Recently I had dinner with a couple of high school friends. We had a great conversation getting caught up with each other.
At one point the conversation turned to the recent loss of a classmate. This got me thinking about life and how much of my life has passed and how little remains.
With a little luck and a bit of work, I hope to have another 25 or 30 years left on this earth.
When I start to think about the classmates I’ve already lost, they were probably thinking much the same thing. Sadly, they don’t have tomorrow.
What’s the point?
The point is that you need to enjoy life each and every day. None of us is assured that we’ll have a tomorrow.
Are you carrying anger or hostility from past relationships? Are you carrying the hurt from how others have harmed? It’s time to let it go!
Not for them…for you! It’s time to enjoy life. It’s time to be happy and happiness can only come from within. It’s not something you can get from someone else. It’s not something you can get from things.
I’m not saying that you’ll get no enjoyment from people or things. I’m saying that true happiness comes from within. It comes from being content.
Does that mean that I shouldn’t strive for more?
Not at all. I genuinely believe that we should all be working at becoming a better person every day.
It means that if you have goals for bigger and better things in your life, by all means keep striving for those goals.
But…while you’re striving for your bigger and better things in life, enjoy the journey you’re on. Enjoy today. You only get to enjoy today once because once it’s gone, you can never get it back again.
As my dear friend, Tammy says, Thank God It’s Today! Check her out on Facebook @ThankGodItsToday.
Forgive and move on.
Forgiveness is for no one other than you. When you hold on to your past hurts the only one that suffers is you.
Stop your unnecessary suffering. Stop letting those that have hurt you live rent-free in your head. Reclaim that head space. Reclaim your happiness.
Start doing the things that you’ve always dreamed of doing. Take that trip. Make that phone call. Spend time with those that mean the most to you. Make memories that are important to you.
Do something that scares you.
I’m not talking about jumping out of an airplane or driving a race car. Although, if they’re on your bucket list, make it happen.
I’m talking about the simpler personal challenges. Call someone you have a secret crush on and ask them out for coffee or cocktails.
Make an extra effort to get out of the house to be social. Ask a stranger to dance. Say Hi to someone standing in line next to you and strike up a conversation.
We’re all afraid of something. What are you afraid of?
What can you do to face your fear and make it not so terrifying?
When you learn to face your fears head on, you’ll start to recognize that many of them weren’t the big deal you made them out to be.
There’s an acronym for F.E.A.R., False Evidence Appearing Real.
How many times have you been afraid to do something or try something, yet when you actually did, it wasn’t as bad as you thought it was going to be?
I’ve never considered myself mechanically inclined, yet this past summer I was faced with a major mechanical challenge. I needed to replace the motor in my dad’s old sailboat.
It was a huge stretch for me. One of the things I’ve learned from friends was to be patient, be methodical, and seek guidance when you run into problems.
The really cool thing is that there were so many people that were willing to share their knowledge and even offer a hand when needed.
When the project was complete I had a great sense of accomplishment! I had done something I never dreamed that I could do. And that has led to a lot of happiness.
It has not only provided a lot of pride in my accomplishment, but it has also provided many happy memories for years to come.
What makes you happy? Is it completing a challenging project like mine? Is it learning a new skill? Maybe it’s learning to step out of your shyness and start a conversation. Whatever it is, start today.
One of the keys to happiness is being thankful.
Start being thankful for everything you have. Be thankful that you woke up this morning and can read or listen to this blog.
Be thankful for family, friends, and the strangers you meet. Be thankful for all the things you have. Be thankful for the life you’ve lived because it’s made you the person you are today.
When you’re thankful, it’s much easier to be happy no matter what’s happening in your life.
Let go of your fear, anger, or hurt. Learn to be happy. Start with being happy just one moment at a time. Let your happiness grow. Let your happiness infect and affect those around you.
Tomorrow is never promised to any of us. It’s time to enjoy life today.
I hope I’ve given you some food for thought to help you make healthier relationship decisions.
If you have questions or topics you’d like me to address here, please send your suggestions to Rick@RickSoetebier.com.
For more personal guidance tailored to your specific needs, send me an email at Rick@RickSoetebier.com to schedule a free 30-minute consultation.