Stop Settling and Start Living...

It was a dreary, overcast morning; the kind that make it hard to get out of bed and get started on your day. A few upbeat songs came on the radio that cleared my head and got me in the right frame of mind to get my workout completed. While at the club, a woman who was working out next to me, started sharing with the trainer that she had some changes going on in her life. Her husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s at the age of 62 and now he moved to a care facility at 70 years of age because his mind was gone. She was trying desperately to keep going and remain positive, but the reality of the experience was staring her straight in the face demanding to be noticed.

Many thoughts raced through my mind about this man’s young age, how short life is and how we just don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Yet more than anything, I just wanted to know…did he make the most of every day before the Alzheimer’s stole his life? Did he make his work a priority or did he laugh with his family and create memories with them? Did he talk about where he would go ‘someday’ or did he travel and experience the incredible world we live in? Did he settle for mediocrity or did he embrace all that life has to offer? Did he take things for granted or did he tell the people who meant the most to him that he loved them?

“There are many things in life that will catch our eye but only a few will catch your heart…pursue those.”

No one can predict how much time we have left to live our life. If there is something tugging at your heartstrings that you have been putting off, why not pursue it. Even if life has thrown you a string of curve balls trying to strike you out, why not pick today to stand back up, brush yourself off and try again. Make a plan, talk to someone, pay attention to the things other people do that you find fascinating and start experiencing all those things you’ve wanted to do but never have.

“Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because you have only one life and one chance to do all the things you want to do.”

Make today the day you stop settling and start living.