It’s been well over 6 months since I’ve sat down to type something new for anyone (or no one at all) to read. I’ve missed the therapeutic release that comes with thinking about what I want to say, typing it out and creating something that – hopefully – someone connects with. When I started my out-of-the-house job in August 2020, I had such great intentions of continuing to write and keep this blog current but I’ve failed. If you’re still with me, thank you! I appreciate you taking the time to swing by and see if there’s anything new. Even before I started this job, I was on a path of figuring out who I am and how to make my life count.

“We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one” – Confucius

Over the last few days, I’ve read this quote in a number of different, unrelated places. The second time I saw it, I decided I needed to myself time to ponder the quote and really think about what it means to/for myself and this is what I’ve come up with …

Make Your Life COUNT –

Our lives already matter. I believe we are all here right now for a reason. And, if you are completely content with how things are going, then keep doing that! But, at least for me, I’m just starting to figure out who I really am and what living my life to the fullest looks like. (You know that Reba McEntire song, “Is There Life Out There” – that’s how I’ve been feeling.) Additionally, these changes need to be for no one other than YOU.

we get One Life!

Sometimes it takes longer for us to realize that we really do only get ONE SHOT at this life and we need to make it count. For others, a death in the family, a scary accident or some other life event forces us into that realization. I’m finally seeing that there’s more to life than my comfortable little routine bubble.

push yourself!

I’m finding that living my (second) life to the fullest means:

• You CAN do the hard things – even when you don’t WANT to.
• Change is hard but it’s also necessary so we can grow and become better versions of ourselves.

For myself, this comes in the form of trying new things. My husband always tells me that I’m quick to say YES when my friends ask me to do something I wouldn’t typically do or try food that doesn’t sound appetizing, but I rarely step out of my bubble with him. I’m not a fan of change so trying new things doesn’t come easily for me which doesn’t mean I can’t – it just means I need to consciously put in the effort. (Not that long ago, that previous line would have gone something like: “It doesn’t mean I can’t but it does mean I won’t!”) If you are anything like me, giving a quick-reflex answer of “nope, I can’t!” is much easier than saying “YES, but I’m stepping out of my comfort zone for you!.” However, I’m finding that in those uncontrolled, perhaps adrenaline-filled moments, I see who I really want to be. Maybe not a full-fledged thrill seeker but adventurous in my own right.

For instance:

• I would never consider myself an athlete – NEVER. But I’m been working out with Camp Gladiator for four years and have completed CG Games three times. I have no desire to have the fastest time (let’s be real – I know I won’t!) but completing CG Games takes something I love and amps it up a few notches to push me out of my routine.
• Heights terrify me but last summer, the family and I decided to do the Gatlinburg Sky Bridge when we were vacationing in Tennessee. To get to the start of the bridge, you have to take a ski lift to the top of the mountain and then walk across the bridge. I white-knuckled the ski lift, walked through the gift shop to bring my heart rate down, and then we (I) conquered the bridge – TWICE (because you have to go across and back!) before we took the ski lift back down the mountain.

How do you make your life count?