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The world is often brutal and unkind. It’s unkind to anyone who cannot keep up with the more is better or faster is better mentality. We expect to have life all figured out without fully accepting that we will figure it out as we go on the journey. Choosing wholeness is incredibly hard because there’s always a voice somewhere telling us we’re wrong.
How can I rest when everyone around me is a productivity addict? How dare I talk about slowing down when the world is racing forward? I mustn’t think of enjoying my life when there’s so much chaos everywhere.
It’s almost impossible, but I refuse to apologize for stubbornly wanting to carve out a path that works for me. What if I’m not always interested in winning because I’m not in competition with anyone?
I’m okay that my house does not look like the magazine, yet it’s my sanctuary, a soft landing place regardless of what happens outside. I don’t conform to the social pressure of constructing an Insta-worthy lifestyle because I prioritize “me time” above all else. Is there something wrong with me?
Time is passing at an alarming rate. Everything happens in a blink. Where has all the time gone? I agree that having a few more hours in a day would make an enormous difference. No one has enough these days, although sometimes, I wonder if enough is ever enough. But whatever for?
The objective, of course, is to get life’s neverending list of daily obligations and distractions out of the way. Having done that, we secretly try to squeeze in a little more. Hopefully, we will make room for the things that matter to us with whatever time that’s left. In other words, to simply live.
My eyes drift toward the sky, where the sunset leaves behind streaks of orange gold. What a beautiful sight to behold. I’m glad I took time today to create this little island of solitude. As the day winds down, I’m painfully aware that I’m losing a portion of my time that I will never get again. Have I truly lived today?
Like many others, I seldom appreciate the value of my time until after it’s gone. I squandered precious moments, convincing myself of other, more important tasks worthy of my attention. I hardly make time for myself, doing what makes my heart sing. My lame excuse was that there’s always tomorrow.
One day, my time here will run out, but the world will continue to spin, and everything will continue as it is in my absence. Why am I acting as if the world is dependent on me? Of course, I should strive to make a difference, but I must do it for myself, first and foremost. I aim to fill my cup, then pour the content out to share it with those around me.
There are many ways to build a beautiful life. There are many paths to wellness. Yet I’ve chosen to run with the crowd instead of listening to my heart. I allowed others to dictate where I should be and how far I should go.
If everyone is heading east, it is unthinkable to go west even when every fiber of my being is protesting. I got swept away by life’s current, speeding like a car on an empty freeway. Until I pulled up to a red light, and everything stopped. Life unexpectedly came to a halt. There was nothing else to do except wait.
Suddenly my mind can’t stop rehearsing past mistakes. I should have more time with those I love. I should have visited places, climbed a mountain, volunteered at shelters, sung, danced, or painted when I had the time, the resources, and the energy. The hard truth is, I can’t turn back time. People say it’s never too late to pursue what you want in life. There is way too much ‘too late’ for me than I care to admit.
Time passes. People change. Age catches up. There are health restrictions. Confidence level falters. Nothing exists longer than an instant. Everything is in flux. Nobody wants to admit it, but everyone knows it’s true. The profound realization that everything changes can cause sadness and anxiety, but within this, there is freedom. The freedom to accept that opportunity is granted every moment at different stages, and it’s up to us to embrace our decisions. This can remove the sting of emotional suffering later in life.
It’s the acceptance of where I am at this moment without judgment. It is neither defeat nor deprivation but a conscious awareness. I had the option, and I made the decision. There’s no point looking back and hoping I could have done better. Had I known I was about to make a wrong decision, I would not have gone along with it.
Life offers no guarantee. We did our best with what we had at every single moment. Mindfulness means living by our choices while consciously creating the life we desire.
No matter where we are at any point in life, we learn to navigate life better by understanding the universal truth of impermanence. When life back us into a corner, which it will eventually, we will have cultivated the ability to cut through the chatter, making peace with what is.
As the day ends, have you truly lived?
Just as there are many ways to a beautiful life, there are many routes to wholeness. Never trust anyone to decide what that is, for you. Prioritize yourself because there’s not enough time in a day to look back with regrets. Go ahead. Just live. Fully.
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Thank you so much for taking the time to visit. I truly appreciate it. I hope my words make a difference and add to your beautiful life. Until next time, you can find me on Medium, Twitter, and Substack. You can support my work by buying me coffee here.
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