Doing What You Love
Life is so short. In what seems like a brief, flashing moment in time – another year has come and gone.
When we’re very young we have lots of big dreams; we don’t ever imagine that they won’t come to fruition or that whatever we wish to become or do with our lives might not happen. We don’t think about how the choices and decisions we make (on a daily basis) can (and will) draw us either closer to actualizing those youthful dreams or steer us further from them.
Maybe you thought you’d for sure be a Veterinarian because of your natural love for dogs and animals. Maybe you knew you’d be an Accountant or Mathematician because you loved numbers and solving problems. Maybe you thought you’d be a Ballerina or a Musician or an Artist or a Writer. Maybe you wanted to be an Architect or a Professional Golfer. Maybe you wanted to work for the FBI. Maybe you wanted to own your own cafe or live in Venice.
Look at where you are right now, today. Ask yourself: Am I where I imagined and hoped I would be? And, if I am not, am I still living the joyful, happy life I always imagined? Even if it is not doing exactly the job I imagined?
If your answers are “no” – then it’s time to rethink things. It’s time to (re)examine your life and see what you need to do to get to where you want to be. While doing this, a few things need to be remembered along the way.
First, life is RIGHT NOW. It’s the journey. It’s the moment-to-moment conversations, actions, and decisions that we make that define us and direct us. It’s not when we graduate from school or land that first great job. It’s not if we get married, buy a home, or have children. It doesn’t start when we get our first car. Life is the day-to-day decisions, choices, and actions you take en route to accomplishing those big goals you made a long time ago. And, if you don’t have any big goals – it’s time to make some.
Second, while remembering as you now pursue your dreams (that were temporarily deferred because you took an unexpected turn in your life or were distracted by drugs, procrastination, an unhealthy relationship, or fear) that life is right now, it’s also important to realize that once you achieve that lifelong goal, there’s still much more to learn, to do, and to be. You are not defined by your job, but rather – by your character. So, while becoming an Architect is an awesome achievement, it doesn’t wholeheartedly define you as a person. How you choose to treat others – – in the moments that make up your days – is what matters most.
Third, it’s never too late. It is never to late to go to medical school, to be a good son, to be a compassionate friend. It’s never too late to stop abusing, self-medicating, or hating yourself. It’s never too late to stop allowing others to mistreat you, to start loving yourself, to stop blaming others for where you are or are not, to stop wasting time, It’s never too late to start being the you that you always imagined and hoped you would be.
It’s not always easy to give up bad habits and days of rationalizing instead of actualizing. But you can start – today – right now. Take a class. Paint a picture. Learn an instrument. Read a book. Build a birdhouse. Help a neighbor. Rescue a dog. Share your undivided time and attention with those you love.
What better time to start than at the beginning of a brand new year!
