#YOLO: How To Live Life To It’s Fullest
By admin
Well hello there!
I have a question for you… It’s a pretty important one too.
Have you ever been out at a restaurant or out with friends and either you or them made a decision that wasn’t really the best to make? But with a simply shrug of the shoulders and a “Well, you only live once” comment, the decision was made and the action taken?
With the passing of my grandmother, I’ve been thinking about life a lot.
We have one life to live, but how do we know if we’re living it to the fullest or not?
Will we one day wake up with regret because the life we lived wasn’t really the one you wanted?
Deep, but stay with me.
Side note before I continue… I don’t think a sporadic indulgence constitutes as a bad decision.
Instead, I mean using this as a regular decision making method.
The Only Live Once Downfall
I’ve been around friends, and especially family, who use the excuse that life is short, so live it doing what you want to indulge in an unhealthy lifestyle of poor food choices and lack of exercise.
I have heard very close relatives say that life is too short to worry about what’s in their food or if their food is “healthy”. I’ve had friends say that life is too short to worry about regular exercise.
But what they’re really saying is an excuse.
We all want to be healthy, or at least, I hope we do. We all want to feel the best we possibly can. Living the “life is short” card is a way to cope, a way to convince ourselves that we are doing a good job.
But it’s crap.
The YOLO! Truth
Here’s what I have learned: YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE.
You only get one shot at being present on this planet, so why not make it the best roller coaster of a ride ever?
Nothing is guaranteed, no one is promised a long life, a life without suffering, a life without tests.
But we do have control over some parts.
We have the ability to say, “No I may not be guaranteed 90 years, but I can do everything in my power to try to get there.”
Just like life, you also only get one body. Treat that body like a Lamborghini, not a Chevy Silverado. Our bodies aren’t meant to be beaten up, taken off roading, and given the cheapest fuel at the pump.
Our bodies deserve more.
Our minds deserve more.
You deserve more.
I Can Still Stand Up Sans Hands
My grandmother would have been 82 today. But 12 months ago, you never would have guessed she was a lady in her 80s.
12 months ago she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Just weeks before her diagnosis she was living life the way she has been for the previous 15+ years.
Waking up and starting the day with a brisk 3+ mile walk, sometimes with a jog tossed in for good measure. We teased my grandmother because on her walks she would pick up change along the way… every single coin, shiny or not, that she could find.
We laughed, but knowing her “walking money” was up to over $ 500 also inspired us to stop and pick up a penny more often. It all adds up.
That wasn’t all…
Every Tuesday, she would go to our church’s community center to take a senor aerobics class. She was the oldest in the class.
One day she called me after to tell me how it went. Grandmama’s voice was full of pride as she explained how her instructor had her and the other ladies sit down on a bottom step. From there, they were encouraged to try and stand up without the use of their hands.
How did Grandmama do? She was the ONLY one in the ENTIRE class to succeed.
To me… that’s living life to the fullest.
To be 80 years old and to be able to move freely, that’s a gift. That’s the ability to live life.
“Begin at once to live and count each separate day as a separate life.” ~Seneca
10 Ways To Live Life To It’s Fullest
- Each morning you wake up, take a deep breath and be thankful. Yesterday is over, tomorrow is not guaranteed, all we are promised is this moment.
- Love yourself. Our bodies may not be what we dream of, but it has gotten us where we are. It’s perfect even with it’s imperfections. Treat it with class, respect, and love.
- Move more. If you missed yesterday’s post, catch up on how just the act of standing up can help improve more than just your calorie burn.
- Eat to the fullest. Eating cakes, fried chicken, and french fries is not living life to it’s fullest. Giving your body high quality, natural food is. This goes back to showing your body love. Giving yourself proper nutrients is something you can control!
- Love others. Every single day, tell someone you love that you love them. Don’t just tell them, show them. I often ask Dan if there is any question or doubt when it comes to my love. Why do I ask? Because life gets hectic and sometimes the “I love yous” go unsaid even though they shouldn’t.
- Do something nerve wracking. Playing it safe is a good idea some of the time, but so is doing something new and spontaneous. Do something you didn’t think possible, take chances, risks, go for big goals and take action. Only by leaving the beaten path will you live a life without regret. I don’t want to leave this world saying “I played it safe.”
- Be bold. Don’t be afraid to show the world your true colors. I know I am a prime example of this, I am often shy in front of a camera and am nervous that people won’t like the “real” me. That’s silly. No, not everyone will like you, but more people will love you when you open up and let your true self shine. Let the freak flag fly proudly!
- Learn to forgive. Anger and resentment are ugly monster that hurt our soul. At least they have mine. Learn to let go of the pain and anger and realize that what the actions of someone else will be something for them to handle. Let go of that pain and you’ll live a life of health and comfort.
- Be a good person. That’s what it comes down to. When our time is over, we all want people to look back and remember us for the good we did, for the passion we had, and for the love we gave. Remember that, each and every day.
- Focus on today. What can you do for your body, mind, spirit, and for those around you to make today the best day ever?
Now… go live life!
When was a time you used the “You Only Live Once” idea to do something?
Mine was when I quite a good paying job to go after my dream of being a personal trainer. I didn’t want to resent my life but knew that if I continued doing what I was doing because of a paycheck that I would. Best decision I have ever made.