Aug 8, 2012
People come and go in our lives. Experiences happen every single second. Within each hour of each day there are an unimaginable number of moments that can change not only the direction of our day, week, year but our entire life.
Have you ever been stuck in a funk. Riding on the bitter bus, in the back, you know back there by yourself? I have. I have been there plenty. The challenge is getting off the bus. It’s not easy, it’s not for everyone. I believe that most of us ride that bus most days. Wishing. Wanting. Waiting. You get in that poisonous routine of living the same day, every day. Where the only excitement is getting out to a movie to see anything but our own lives unfold in front of us.
Continuously hoping for something, someone or some perfect time for it all to change. Many of us never change or try so we get stuck in a rut, that life long bus pass on the public transit system called everyday life. The “right conditions” do present themselves to us.
Then there are the select few that stop or more realistically re-focus their lens not on the past or present but the continuous opportunity that the future holds. The future doesn’t have to be 1 year from now or 5, it could be the next hour of your drive, the conversation over dinner, the call or letter you choose to write. The thank you haven’t given, the gratitude that makes someone else smile or in-turn give back.
What if we judged our life not on number of years lived, degrees received, accolades given to us, bank balance or waist size. Instead, we chose to judge, no, celebrate our lives based on the day that we are living now. Are we the best or highest version of ourselves? Are we being the kindest and most giving person we could be? If not, why not?
So I guess we (and I include myself in this idea), need to shift from wishing, wanting and waiting to living life fully right now. Do something right now. When you finish reading this. Post a comment and tell me what you will do. In then next 60 minutes. It’s a challenge and I from the bottom of my heart implore you to try.
I believe that life, the direction, focus and feel of it can change in an instant. This one.
Posted by Stu Saunders in Leadership Learning and Growing Motivation on Aug 8, 2012 at 5:58 pm | Permanent Link | Comments (9)
Comment posted on Aug 8, 2012 at 6:50 pm by Quentin Jackson-Fitter (QBall) (YLCC Member)
This is a great read!
Comment posted on Aug 8, 2012 at 6:51 pm by Carrie B (YLCC Guest)
I recently got out of a long term and very unhealthy relationship where all my energy was spent trying to fix the relationship….losing myself in the mean time. The next 60min and the rest of this year will be forcused on myself, my dreams and finding where my own path is going. To feel happiness again.
Comment posted on Aug 8, 2012 at 7:45 pm by Louise Hague (YLCC Guest)
How inspiring ! I’ve been working on the long term changes and never really thought about the short term until about an hour ago. My two teenage kids and I were potatoing it (as in vegging out) when one of them mentioned that since my “life changes” their father says to them that I’ve become selfish and unkind. None of which are true of course but it was unnerving nonetheless. Now that I’ve read you post, working on 60 mins is PERFECT to live in the now with my two most important people beside me. So since beginning this post, we have managed to pick paint colors and already paint the daughters bedroom. Well, of course, I didn’t do it since I was too busy sharing this moment with you BUT I’ve taught the kids to tape, cut in and roll all within 60 mins. Who’s selfish now? LOL
Comment posted on Aug 8, 2012 at 7:52 pm by Maggie Sullivan (YLCC Guest)
Sometimes the other people on your bus are in the way. It is a challenge to either move them or get past them and get out the door! In the next sixty minutes I will meditate so that I can clear my mind and be friendly to those people on the bus that I may meet!
Comment posted on Aug 9, 2012 at 8:51 am by Angela (YLCC Member)
Great post
Riding the bitter bus can be a long ride
Once you get off it is easy to get on at the next stop
Staying off the bus is a great accomplishment
Comment posted on Aug 9, 2012 at 5:40 pm by Jennifer Wilson (YLCC Guest)
Interesting…I agree that many people are on that bus. I can’t say I feel like I’ve spent much time on it though. I’ve certainly been in funks before, as I’m sure we all have, but I tend to be aware of those bad days and reflect on what I have to be thankful for and how the next day will get better. I wake up every day and feel so freaking lucky to be alive (a habit I picked up at YLCC) and so lucky to get to have such an enjoyable life and so so so lucky to get to share it with someone that plays and laughs with me all the time. I think I’ve always been pretty jazzed about life, but what really solidified a thought process for me of seizing the day, and getting excited about every moment were my years at YLCC. I really do owe my spark and enthusiasm to the lessons learned there and to many of them learned from you.
It can be very frustrating though when you’re sometimes surrounded by people on the bus when you don’t have a choice to get off (ie. professional situations), but all in all, I’m fortunate to spend most of my time with family and a family that are all pretty passionate about life.
Comment posted on Aug 9, 2012 at 5:56 pm by Michelle (YLCC Guest)
Kiss your life.
Accept it, just as it is.
Today.
Now.
So that those moments of happiness
you’re waiting for don’t pass you by.
~Philip Bosman
Here is some of what I’m going to do to make sure the happiness in my life doesn’t pass me by.
•Slow down and be present in the moment
•Stop waiting for that one big success to come along to be happy
•Practice gratefulness for the small things that make life fun
•Focus my attention on things I enjoy doing
•Stop multi-tasking so often
•Really listen to people and engage them in conversation
Comment posted on Aug 9, 2012 at 6:00 pm by Aaron Ratko (YLCC Guest)
Takin the emergency exit door with the big red handle sounds like the PERFECT idea, thanks Stu!!
“live today with purpose and positivity”
Aaron
Comment posted on Aug 10, 2012 at 3:29 pm by ElizabethB (YLCC Member)
a) i booked my G test which i have been afraid to do
b) i started the process of cancelling my phone plan to sign up for the oct discoutned plan with Telus
c) i asked my boyfriend to help me re-vamp my resume because i am sick of hearing about other people getting on the supply list.