There Are No Do-Overs

While you can usually change your mind once you’ve started something, the fact remains that in the end there are no “life do-overs” for anyone. There are no second chances at life. You can change direction, forge a new path, or reinvent yourself several times over during a lifetime; but once that lifetime is over, you have run out of chances for good. The average life expectancy of a newborn in 2011 is 78.7 years. If you were born before this year, and chances are that you were, your average life expectancy is considerably lower. You may live till you are 100 years old or you may not — the average is somewhere in the 70-75 year range. Are you taking full advantage of the only 70-75 years you have?

There are days when I waste a lot of time and there are days when I am incredibly productive; I try to strike some sort of a balance where the scales are tipped towards productivity more than slackness. During my 20’s I spent a lot of time wondering what I should when I grow up; in my 30’s I have changed that to what should I be doing now in the present and not somewhere further down the line. “Down the line” may not arrive, so I want to be mindful of the present and how I am using this time I have now wisely. My current life choices are not conventional by American standards, as I:

• Don’t make as much money as I could in order to be self-employed and make my own schedule
• Want to see the country while living in an Airstream trailer for a year or two
• Eventually want to buy a large plot of land in the middle of nowhere to live on for good
• Currently share a tiny studio apartment with another person rather than a 2,700 square foot house, the average house size in the U.S.
• Minimized my belongings down to only the essentials while letting go of things that others may consider sentimental

It took me a long time to get here. Many mistakes, many missteps, and many bad choices, but I feel I am where I should be now at this point in my life. I am headed in the right direction, doing what I feel is right for me even when others disagree or judge, and I have realized just how important it is to do what you want in life when you want to do it. There are no do-overs, as once it’s done it’s done. What are you doing today to realize the dreams you have had for yourself for quite some time? There’s no time like the present; make it happen for you and you alone. You are the only one who lives your life and makes your choices, so make it count.