You have one chance for today, so how will you live it?

Today is the only chance you will ever have to live the day of, Monday, March 23rd 2015. Wow, that statement really puts things into perspective, doesn’t it? You have one chance for today, so how will you live it?

Lately in my life I have had these moments that I realize I will never get back. Whether it is moving out of an old apartment, spending a weekend with a little brother, traveling on a family vacation or losing a loved one, I will never be able to relive those special moments in time. I have always known we must live in the moment, but reflecting on these recent experiences has shown me that each minute we are alive is precious and should be cherished.

We only have so much time, and yet, so often we worry about the past and the future, wasting the present moment; and failing to live the moment to the fullest. The problem is we get so focused on what we think we “should” do we lose track of our desires. It is easy to get caught up in our “to do lists” like; laundry, organizing the house or running errands, we miss out on what we really desire like; relaxing with our loved ones, watching a sunset or truly being present.

How about you? Be honest with yourself, this is an open invitation to use the below steps to be present in every moment and live your days to the fullest. 

1) Set alarms in your phone that ask “Am I present?” Having appreciation for time means paying attention to what is important in the present moment. When you see an alarm go off on your phone that asks “Am I present?” It quickly reminds you to enjoy the small things, laugh more, immerse yourself in nature, and cherish the time you have with your loved ones.

2) Write down the pockets of time you could fill with something you actually enjoy and gives you life. I know I catch myself spending at least 20 minutes in the morning scrolling through Intsagram, Facbook and Twitter when I could be going on a quick run or getting lost in a really good book.

3) Sometimes the loving answer is “NO.” I am a natural giver, I love to give my time, energy, love and support, which is a wonderful gift to have but at times I find myself giving too much. I cross my boundaries to areas where I have over committed and felt worn down. At these times I realize the loving answer must be, “No.” In the end we come first no matter what. If we do not want to do something then we need to politely say no and schedule a time that we are feeling more energized. We want to cherish and be present the time we get with others not feel obligated and exhausted.

4) Write down the desires you have for the day, NOT a to do list. The things that you really want to do. Whether it is sit at the beach to listen to the ocean waves, watch the sunset, go on a run or maybe just have some quite time by yourself. What ever it may be write them down each morning before you start your day.

Remember, you have one chance for today, how will you live it?