One of my biggest fears is life passing me by. It’s funny how I didn’t come to this realization until recently; I even remember writing a creative essay on the topic in high school. Still, it wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I decided to slow things down, take in the world around me, and savor the moments of my life.
It’s easy to get swept away in the day to day. Moving from one busy task to the next and never really accomplishing anything. Then, between those busy tasks, we spend time on our phone, scrolling through Facebook or Instagram, and ignoring the world around us. I’m not talking against work and a strong work ethic. I’m talking against being so busy that you forget to slow down and savor everything that life has to offer.
I think that we escape from the in-between moments (the moments between tasks) as a way to forget about all the busy moments we’ve had to contend with. That does nothing but rob us of our lives. There is so much to experience and feel, to see and to do that it would be a shame to let it pass us by!
Here are three things you can do to ensure that your life doesn’t pass you by.
Be In The Moment
Sometimes. You. Just. Need. To. Slow. It. Down. We rush too much, trust me on this I work in Manhattan, I know.
Have you ever eaten a dessert and finished it so quickly that you didn’t even get to taste it? I have, and then I ask myself why didn’t I take the time to savor it? Was my goal to get it in my belly so that it could add to my waistline or did I eat it for the taste? Life can be like that, we tend to rush through each of our moments and forget to savor them, and when we look back, we’re better able to see all that we missed along the way. Slow it down, live your moments, and always get the most out of each. Moments aren’t infinite.
Treasure Your Relationships
Treasured relationships do two things. First, they add value to your life. Second, they take work. It’s in the work and in putting another before yourself that brings flavor to your life.
You can’t rush through life and thus let it pass you by if you have treasured relationships. Why? Because relationships take time and treasured relationships are more than worth it.
Relationships are a series of gives and takes, sometimes you take more, sometimes you give more. It’s been said that a relationship isn’t 50-50 that it’s 100-100 with both sides having to give their all. While that is a good sentiment, there are times when you can’t give 100%. Recently, I fell ill with strept throat, and my wife took care of me. While she gave me 100% of her time to make me feel better, there was no way I could reciprocate that 100%.
That’s how relationships work. They allow you to savor life and if you treasure them, they force you to slow down because good relationships take work. What relationships do you treasure?
Take Care Of Your Mental Health
Take time for yourself. Learn new things. Take time off. Learn to manage your stress levels and find a hobby that brings you joy. All of these things are important to a well loved (I meant to type lived, but I liked the typo better) life.
It’s important to find life between the busy moments because it’s in those moments that life is made. If you find yourself looking to escape them then maybe it’s time for some self-reflection. Be honest with yourself and find out what you want from your life. Then, put a plan together, stick to it, and chase those dreams.
I’d love to hear your input, what can you add to these three?