Although this is an unusual Sunday post for me, with the passing of my uncle yesterday I felt compelled to write it. “Big Al” was an icon in our family known for his wit, wisdom and more than anything his humor. Anyone who was ever blessed to be around him was immediately drawn to him and was treated to a memorable antidote, off the wall quote or crazy little one liner.
Al could make friends with anyone – I mean anyone – I never knew him to judge. And he seemed to just have a knack for taking what life threw at him and roll with it. With a dose of crazy humor mind you.
I thought about him a lot yesterday and I am thankful that he is finally at peace after a painful decline in health and during my reflection I realized that in some ways I was wasting my gift.
We each have this gift, this limited time offer gift – the gift of life.
I think so often we just stumble around bidding our time while we bite our tongue, mope about what used to be or whine about what isn’t because we don’t know how to change it. We get so wrapped up in our boo-hoos and blinded by fear that we can’t see the amazing things are all around us and we end up racking up more regrets than there are stars in the sky. BS.
Yep – I’m calling bulls@#t. Oh I was on a roll yesterday – I called some BS and okay, so maybe it wasn’t all well received but you know what – I don’t regret it.
I guess thinking about my uncle gave me the push to speak freely (in a kind way of course) and finally be okay if it meant that there was fewer standing around me afterward than there were before. Yay me!
Regrets are stupid and so is fear. Yes, we do stupid things in life but at the time we had a reason so why regret it if you did it and you meant it? It is over and done with, deal with it, let it go and move on. Just cut the BS because someone is going to call you on it.
If you don’t like the way your life is going, where you are or even how you respond to things guess what – it’s your life, you are the only one that has the power to change it so get off your butt and do something about it.
For goodness sakes you do not want to look back in 1, 5, 10 or more years and say, “If only…” That is stupid. You can’t get it back and the more you act like a self-serving, boo-hooing, poor whoa-is-me nincompoop the more you are wasting your gift. Shame on you!
There is no fairy godmother or father to come and fix it for you – do it yourself. Do what you gotta do but starts and ends with you. Maybe you know what is making you unhappy – great, it is a start but it is not enough. If you are still complaining about what is wrong but not willing to fix it then you are wasting your gift. Shame on you!
Apply for that job, go for the promotion, try a new hobby, say what you need to be able to let someone in or cut someone out (yes, it is ok to tell someone “I love you but you’ve gotta go”) – just take control of your life, stop the BS and wasting your gift.
Life is short kids; don’t wait for a reminder that hits too close to home to realize this. Be you, do you, live the way you want, love openly even if it scares the bejesus out of you, laugh as often as you can, give without expecting anything in return, appreciate what you have and every morning when you wake up be grateful that you get to do it all over again.
Lisa K. McDonald, CPRW
Career Coach-Strategist
Certified Professional Resume Writer
Career Polish, Inc.
Lisa…. My entire morning has been Bu$/&?!@, until I read this post from you. I had my very own nobody else invited pity party in my journal this morning. Soooo.. Glad you took the time to wake me up out of my own BS.
Sometimes the wine is good at those parties as long as you don’t drink too much! Thank you for your comment – it is greatly appreciated!