I'm feeling philosophical this morning. While running on the beach over this past weekend, our dog ingested an endotoxin that shut down her intestines and, a few hours later, ended her short life. On Sunday, my closest girlfriends celebrated the short but vibrant life of our 50-year-old friend who lost an 8-year battle with cancer. Think: tear-filled weekend.
So, I'm sitting here contemplating the meaning of life and how I live mine. Some thoughts for life and work:
So, I'm sitting here contemplating the meaning of life and how I live mine. Some thoughts for life and work:
- Tomorrow isn't guaranteed. Embrace and welcome that reality and the freedom it creates to "live your best possible life" at home, at work, at school.
- Actively choose your thinking and actions. For me, it's all about optimism, gratitude, a better future, data, action, outcomes, and reflection.
- Let go of the need to know. It's okay to be wrong or to be uncertain. Learn to live with ambiguity. Eventually enjoy the angst it creates and use it to innovate and discover new ways forward.
- Celebrate your learning curve. It can be exhilarating. Be kind to yourself every day and allow yourself room to fail while you’re learning to do better. Believe in your own potential. Push yourself to discover it. The possibilities are endless.
- Daily distractions (transporting kids, paying bills, filing paperwork, cleaning the house....) keep us from really living, so devote the minimum time and attention to these activities. Almost no one laments a dusty house when it really matters. Keep your life as simple as possible so you can spend your time and energy wisely and with purpose.
- Seek joy in everything.
- Run loose on the beach in big concentric circles, let your ears flap in the wind. Don't worry about things in the universe beyond your control — it's wasted energy.
- Express gratitude and kindness at every opportunity, even with relative strangers.
- People enjoy being seen. See them. Hear them. Engage in meaningful conversation.
- Speak your mind. Get things out in the open. Don't harbor resentments. They diminish your capacity.
- Take measured risk. Assess the likelihood of threat. Is it 1 in a million, 3 in a thousand? Ask: "Is it worth the risk?" Don't let risk keep you from experiences. Manage the risk as best you can. Then let go of the need for control.
- Get in the game. No one ever scored a winning touchdown from the safety of the bleachers.
- Share the glory and the pain. If you have abundance, give it to others who need it. If you need help and support ask for it, without shame. There's plenty of everything we really need and lots of it is free (sunshine, oxygen, food, shelter, love, kindness).
- Work hard and play everyday. Life can be very short.
- Learn to say "I'm sorry" easily and without judgment of yourself or others.
- Share a Five Guys hamburger with your dog once a month. Make it like a date. Spoil them with love. Take them on a long walk or a run on the beach. If something tragic happens, accept that death is part of every life. Celebrate the memories of wonderful times together. Feel gratitude.