Life Itself 2

 As summer turns to fall, I think about life itself. “To each their own” is what my mother has always taught me. To reconcile the truths within one’s mind guides us, changes us, and ultimately challenges us to realize that life is about change. We change every day. Our mental state rises and falls like the tides of the ocean. We sometimes think life cannot give us what we want when we want it. We work toward something, hoping that somehow it will all work out. We wrestle with our thoughts and our conscience, trying to determine the path that life will ultimately take us down. And, as always, we put one foot in front of the other to get the job done.

Some days are easier than others. Each day we awaken to a new opportunity to chase our goals, our dreams, and perhaps even our destiny. To chase is to live, moving upward and onward through this marathon called life. Setbacks will come. We learn, we live, and we move on. With every setback comes an opportunity to dig deep within ourselves and learn more about who we are, allowing us the chance to change for the better.

But why do some people seem to take ten steps backward while only taking one step forward? Why does it seem easier for some to overcome life’s struggles while others falter and lose steam along each stretch of life’s highway?

Perhaps life is about setting a pace. To pace life is to chase life, finding a steady path toward what we determine to be success. When life is viewed as a marathon rather than a sprint, we can move forward without constantly gasping for air. We tend to overexert ourselves, exhausting our minds and bodies before our dreams have had the opportunity to come to fruition.

Those who are able to live a life of all signals and no background noise tend to achieve greatness. When the distractions fade and we are able to focus on what truly matters, our direction becomes clearer. Yet although life is a marathon, we cannot simply sit by the wayside and allow life to pass us by.

Action!

Life is about taking action. I cannot stress this enough. Live with a sense of determination and drive toward your goals rather than simply cruising along the road of life. Get up, get out, and get moving toward the things you want to accomplish. Do not sit idly by as life passes before your eyes. Live for the moments that make you feel alive.

To feel alive is to experience the wonder of what life can become when we dedicate ourselves to something greater than the present moment. There is a certain feeling that comes from achieving something we once believed might be impossible. One day at a time, we push forward, sometimes not knowing exactly where the road will take us. Yet once again, we put one foot in front of the other.

The sky is the limit when it comes to the possibilities of life. Like a tree, grow toward the light of possibility. Reach upward, even when the conditions around you are not perfect. Growth does not require certainty; it requires the willingness to try.

I promise you, one will rarely regret what one does as much as what one chooses not to do. We sit and mourn the mistakes and missed opportunities of yesterday, replaying moments that can never be changed. Yet tomorrow remains untouched, waiting to reveal what might still be possible.

Do what makes you feel alive. Pursue what gives your life meaning. Chase the dreams that continue to call your name. Life will not always move at the pace we want, and the road will not always be straight. But as long as we continue forward, there is still a possibility of reaching somewhere we have never been.

One day at a time.

One step at a time.

One foot in front of the other.