Life does not wait. We all know this, yet sometimes we forget what it really means. This week I want to challenge you to remember that every single second counts.
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I know that this sounds repetitive, but right now in my life this is such a reoccurring and important theme. When you see a beautiful life cut short, it is a wake up call to value every moment. Life is just this weird thing that we are all doing for the first, and last time. Sometimes we need to stop and rearrange our priorities, and value.
The finite time that each human spends on Earth is so precious. The lives that we touch, the difference we make, the ideas we share, the people we love. Time is one of very few things left that we still can not buy. Time is like the big cloud of questions, and mystery that floats over the Earth. Nobody gets to know how much time that they will have on this Earth. But, this doesn't mean that you should worry about time, and stress about how much you have left. But instead, this means that you should genuinely value each day that you get to wake up and start new. Remember that each day is a fresh start, and a new chance.
Family is so important. The people that you consider family are the people you hold closest to your heart. Make time for your family, always. When we're young, we don't realize it, but our family is aging too. Our time is not infinite, and neither is theirs. It is vital to spend time with friends, but also our family. Take your mom to lunch, or go to a baseball game with your dad. Spend a night watching movies with your siblings. Make your family a priority, because family is everything.
Making every second count is about a lot of things. But it is especially about being lighthearted, and easygoing. When we make an effort to recall the short time we have, we make better use of it. Spend less time each week being upset, complaining, holding grudges, gossiping, being disappointed, and I promise that you will feel like a new person. Any negative emotion or activity that you hold onto is wasting your time. Make your lifetime one filled with happiness, laughter, and true people. Let go of things, and forgive people. It doesn't feel good to be heavy with regret, hate, or jealousy. It is so much easier and enjoyable to be filled with happiness, and encouragement. Don't sweat the small, or even medium sized stuff.
Valuing your time, to me, also has a lot to do with self respect. Because time is so fleeting, it is your job to remember that some people don't deserve yours. Any person who constantly holds you back, causes you anger, belittles you, or discourages you is not worthy of your time. Use your time wisely with people, and spend time with those who think you are a dream come true. Spend all of your time with those who fill you with hope, joy, happiness, and love. Value yourself, and your time.
Another big part of valuing time, for me, is productivity. I know this sounds silly, but I hate naps. My friends make fun of me for it, but it's just me. I think naps are a waste of time, energy, and motivation. Okay, I do understand that sometimes naps are necessary to get some fuel after a rough night of sleep. But in general, naps are a waste. (Plus, you usually wake up questioning what century you're in, and feeling like you've been hit by a bus.) Naps prevent you from getting work done, which prevents you from moving forward and ultimately, succeeding. Instead of taking a twenty minute nap, you could have been reading, exercising, doing schoolwork, spending time with friends/family, saving the manatees, or curing cancer. Naps are like grabbing time, and throwing it in the trash. I just don't like naps. I love being productive. I love starting new projects, and moving forward on current things. I love getting things done early, so I can enjoy the fruits of my labor more quickly. I love seeing results, and doing things that are beneficial to me or the world. I want to contribute, and accomplish as much as I can in my life. I just love productivity.
When you use every second carefully, you feel so much more fulfilled. We all need a little reminder that time is so scarce, because procrastination is a slippery slope. No family member, job, award, experience, promotion, or clock is going to slow down for you. So please, while you still can, make every millisecond count.
