Few people are living life to the fullest. We all have excuses and uphill battles to face day in and day out that suck the fun and positive energy right out of life. Sadly, most of us know what living life to the fullest would be like however few are brave enough to let go of the reins long enough to allow ourselves to do it. Responsibilities and expectations can loom large and nagging strings of negativity hold our feet firmly to the ground restricting our wings and our happiness. The question is, how in the broader scheme of things can any of us start living life to the fullest when we are always only halfway to where we need to be?
We all have all heard the phrase “life is short!” The dirty dishes of life and the bills we strive to pay will all be there the day we die no matter how much stress we put ourselves while we are living. While the future is something to plan for, it shouldn’t be the only thing to live for – especially if you want to live a full life that is satisfying on every level.
In the 1910 manuscript The Science of Getting Rich, author Wattles warns us that part of living is the desire and want for more in life. It is this desire that he says we will acquire every thing in life that we could ever use to cultivate our own happiness. Far too many people feel that wanting more, deserving more and speaking of the more we secretly covet is a sign of selfishness and lack. Wattles believed the opposite was true. Living life to the fullest definitely means being grateful and appreciative for what we have in our lives; material and otherwise! But it also means allowing our hands and our hearts to always remain open for more. More love, more money, more days spent on a sandy white beach, more opportunity, more dreams and most importantly more happiness. The only way to achieve this is to live in every single moment of your life desiring more and appreciating what you have with the full realization and expectation that things only get better with time.
For the largest percent of people, money is the number one excuse to not living life to the fullest. This feeling or link that we associate to not getting what we want; money; becomes an object of negative fixation. Therefore, the more we fixate on the money we don’t have that leads to the life we don’t have but want; the more we stop desiring and cultivating more in our lives. While that may seem complicated, it boils down to the theory that in order to have more we have to imagine and feel the more first. We also have to be willing to live in the present moment, moving joyously to all the things that we really want. If we do it right, then the acquisition of our more will only give birth to an idea of yet something else. Call it reason to live or the power of positive thinking; either way living life to the fullest depends on it.
What is that would make you the happiest? If you had not restrictions, what would your life look and feel like? Now that you have answered those questions – decide who is holding you back. What excuses do you make? Do you wallow in self pity for not having what you want or do you joyfully take what is yours and make the most of it. Do you squander away money waiting for that rainy day, expecting a catastrophe in your life or do you take the family vacation that you have dreamed of? Many of us have learned to be so responsible with our decisions and have been taught from every angle that in order to be an adult, we have to make “wise” decisions. Yet how many people that you know, who have lived their entire life sacrificing and planning for the future are living the life they dreamed? Most of them age fat too quickly and are undermined by age itself before they even have the chance to take their first cruise.
Living life to the fullest is different for every person. Your idea of a full life may be game night with the kids, popcorn overflowing an Italian ceramic bowl and brand name soda pop rather than the store’s special. Another person’s idea of a full life may be working from home or for themselves, enjoying their children in the face of growing up and making the most out of every relationship they have. Another person, may glow to know that their bills are all paid and they still had enough money to take their family out to a nice dinner. The point is simple – now is the time to live your life. If you are caught in a rut where you are focusing on what you are not doing, you will never be able to achieve your dreams. You will never find happiness in the present moment if you overshadow it with feelings of lack.
When you begin to heed the warnings that life really is short, you can make the decision to be fully present in every moment of your life. Learn your lessons, take your laughter and smile as often as you can. The future is uncertain and while you can hope for things down the road to make you happy, you can also choose to find the millions of things in today that can make you happy right now. The choice is yours. Do you want to imagine what it would feel like to live life to the fullest or do you want to actually be one of those brave few who make no excuses and balance responsibility with happiness while remaining every optimistic about what the future holds?
