I hate to be the bearer of bad news….
But if you’re reading this as a Gen X or Baby Boomer, technological advances permitting, we likely have less years left than already lived. 😳
In simpler terms, we’re edging closer to the great wooden overcoat.
Crikey Jo! Way to brighten my day…
Sorry, I realise that’s a pretty bleak way to start a post, but reframed this is actually a fantastic thing to be ultra aware of.
I am still what I would consider a young and spritely 51 year old, however, when I hit that half century button a couple of years back, a switch clicked in my head.
It’s not like I hadn’t noticed it before, but suddenly I became acutely aware of the hastiness of time.
It makes sense of course, that as we age we become more aware of our own mortality.
But rather than seeing this as a scary prospect, or getting depressed about what we haven’t achieved yet, we can use this consciousness of our dwindling years as a spark to ignite action!
Rather than just allowing life to ‘happen to us’, what if instead, we made a deal with ourselves in the depths of our souls to ensure we get the absolute best out of every coming year, no matter how many we think we have left.
You in?
Let’s do it!
Here are five powerful strategies to actively shape your weeks, months and years, rather than letting them just slip by;
1. Put Your Health First!
Strength training, walking, eating well, sleeping well and drinking lots of water are no longer negotiable.
Everything in our body is moving against us. Our muscles are shrinking, cells are dying, inflammation increasing etc.
You can no longer throw a cursory glance in nature’s direction and ask it to do it’s job, you’re literally going to have to go MMA on it’s ass and wrestle it into submission.
Put simply, if you want the best possible quality of life for as long as you can, put your physical health first.
2. What Would You Tell 30 Year Old You?
Take a minute to explore the lessons and messages you’d tell yourself if you were 30 all over again and knew then what you know now.
Would you tell yourself to do that thing you always wanted to?
Would you say go for your dreams?
Would you say take bigger risks?
Get specific and identify the things you’re not yet doing, but would tell yourself to do.
Then do those!
(As a flip, also imagine you’re 20 years older than you are now. What do you think you’d be telling who you are now to do?)
3. Live for Now
How often in your day do you stop to acknowledge the life your living is actually your life? (Stay with me here)
All too often we’re caught up in goals or dreams of the future.
Subconsciously we’re thinking, when this happens, then….
When I’ve made more money I’ll do….
When I’ve lost that extra few pounds I’ll….
When the kids have left home we’ll…
When I get my retirement pot I’ll…
But life is happening right now! Not tomorrow, or next week or a year from now.
This very minute, this exact second you’re reading these words. This is your life.
This becomes even more acute as we get older, so embrace it!
Embrace this moment. What can you taste, see, smell, hear, feel?
Rather than just a once a day gratitude practice, which, by the way, is an incredibly powerful method for living for now, why not just look up every once in a while through your day and make a mental note of what’s fabulous right now!
4. Do More of What You Love
With that being said, now is the time to do more of what you love.
You’ve paid your dues.
You’ve worked hard, raised kids, paid taxes, taken care of elderly parents, lived through exponential change and then some.
Sure, you may still be doing some of those things, I know I am, but it’s your turn now!
Put yourself first more often and do more of what you enjoy doing.
It doesn’t always have to be life changing events (although they’re great also)
If you love going to the cinema, go more often.
If you love taking yoga classes, take more classes.
If you enjoy long walks in the park, do more walks.
Start studying that language you always fancied learning, or taking that art class, or mastering photography etc.
You are not being selfish putting your needs and wants first for a change.
It’s time to dust off the ‘things I want to do before I die’ list and start ticking them off!
5. Design Your Life
I’ve never been great at setting and sticking to goals.
Although I’ve read every Brian Tracy, Jim Rohn and Tony Robbins book out there, I’ve always been a more ‘fly by the seat of your pants’ kinda girl.
This has served to make life more interesting, but has also completely side tracked me at times and left me feeling exactly the opposite of what I’m recommending in this post.
That’s why when I turned 50 I made a deal with myself to take the reigns and design my life exactly how I want to live it right now.
I created an exciting 10 year vision and planned backwards to ensure what I do on a daily basis not only gives me great happiness right now, but also moves me closer to my longer term goals.
“You’re experiencing in the present what you created in the past . What you get to do in the future is what you create in the present”
Rob Dyrdek
To design the life you want to live, is to know what it looks like first.
Create your vision of what life is for you 10 years, 5 years, 1 year, 6 months from now. Then ask yourself what would you love to do every single day that would take you closer to that goal?
Want to be a bestselling author — write every day
Want to be a renowned artist — create and publish your work every day
Want to win the local landscaping contest — work in your garden every day
The aim is to enjoy the journey, even if you never reach the goal.
Life is a gift, no matter how treacherous or bewildering it may seem at times.
So stay healthy, take more risks, do what you love, have fun, and make it happen right now!
And in the amended words of some famous folks and my Mother…
Time stands still for no man or woman, so don’t put off until tomorrow what you can do today.
Do it…now.
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