Can you answer the following question in an affirmative way: have you lived? Are you living the life you want to live?
Every person will have a different definition of the word “lived”. I wonder what it means for you.
- Does it mean raising a family?
- Does it mean traveling the world?
- Does it mean having a successful career?
- Does it mean having flexibility to do the things you want to do?
As I have traveled, I have seen so much beauty in the world. So much positivity. And there are many times when I am sitting on a boat or a bus or an airplane going to my next destination (or going back to the island where I am staying after diving with sharks like I am doing as I write this) where I think: I am living the life I am supposed to live. I am exactly where I should be right now.
ARE YOU WISHING YOUR LIFE AWAY?
And for someone who loves to plan (or who loved to plan) most parts of my life, I have learned on this adventure that I will be ok no matter what. I once thought I had to have this career path in a corporation and build my retirement as much as I could so that “one day” I will be finished working and can have the financial freedom to do the things I want to do.
How many times have you said or heard something like the following:
- Only 10 days left until school is out
- Only three more weeks until vacation begins
- Only three more years until I retire
- I can’t wait to retire so I can travel and do the things I want to do
- Are we there yet?
All of these statements imply that you look forward to something. Which is great. But what does that imply about time between now and that future event? Most likely, it implies you would rather not go through the present moments but rather wish a future event would be here now. So this is like wishing part of your life away. Yikes.
If the average human only has 673 million breaths to breath in ones lifetime if one lives to 80 years old, compared to the universe’s young life of 13.8 billion years, why would we want to wish the fractional time we have in our human bodies away? I know its hard to fathom those quantities but you get the point.
WHAT IF ‘ONE DAY’ NEVER COMES?
Each moment is precious. And the most important moment in your life is the moment right now. Not moments in the future. Especially when those moments aren’t guaranteed.
What if “one day” never comes? Why wait for that “one day”? I grew up in an environment of “work hard and save”. And those lessons were certainly important. I will have those forever. Even though this idea that you have to save as much as you can still holds true, it shouldn’t mean sacrificing happiness to get there. I think we have engrained in our minds that we have to have this high paying job or any job to make sure we aren’t poor at the end of our lives.
But don’t you think that there is more to being financially lacking? Most people are resilient enough to find a way to be happy no matter how much they have saved.
Sure, I did a lot of planning for most of my life to get here. I had a great undergraduate education in finance. I landed some incredible jobs with amazing titles. I went on to get my MBA. And worked my way up to a Director level with a multi-national corporation leading global strategy for the company. So I have put in a lot of time. And it was where I was supposed to be at those moments of my life.
INFLECTION POINTS ALLOW US TO MAKE CHANGES TO LIVE
But I hit an inflection point. Something inside of me changed. I no longer was “living”. Yes, I had “lived” but I needed something different. It was time to make changes in my life to “live” again. And with this one life that I have been given, every part of my being is saying I am exactly where I should be after making those changes.
I am now living (again). I am walking with penguins In Antarctica, climbing erupting volcanoes in Vanuatu, hiking through jungles in Malaysia, diving with sharks in the Philippines, kayaking through remote rivers in New Zealand, biking across mountain passes in Vietnam, snorkeling crystal clear blue lagoons in the Solomon Islands, surfing world class beaches in Australia, zip-lining across valleys in Costa Rica, exploring sunken WWII ships in the Philippines. I feel free. And for my definition of “lived”, I feel I am living my best life now!
So what is it for you? Are you living your best life? What is your best life? If you died tomorrow, can you say that you have lived? If not, get out there and live! Life is too short not to.
I would love to hear what you are thinking after reading this. Shoot me a note on Facebook or leave a comment below.
Hi, Cory!
I have enjoyed every single one of your posts and pics. You take awesome pics, and are a very good writer! Your mother is proud, I’m sure! I wrote a comment to you on one of your posts explaining how I know Melanie and about my niece, Molly, who is traveling the world as we speak, just like you!).
You asked for opinions on this piece. I agree with everything you said. If I could, I would travel the world, as well. Probably not in the same way as you and Molly are doing it, but to see the world and experience different cultures and learn about the history of places and see buildings and places that were here sooooo long ago, would be a dream come true! Ours is a beautiful country, and I want to see more of it, as well, but it is so NEW – I want to see OLD!
There is also the little tiny problem of MONEY. Your article definitely speaks more to those of your generation, not mine. To be now retired and living on a set income from a middle class life does not work into world travel very easily. We can travel, but not for the length of time or on the scale that you & Molly are. Both of you came out of college and went into good jobs with good income. You are both still single, with only yourself to work into the equation. Not so once married with children (& grands!). But – I wholeheartedly agree with you that those in the right circumstances should definitely heed your words and do whatever it is that can give them the satisfaction of living life to the fullest.
My life is pretty darn full. Yes, I wish I could have traveled more. I still hope I can get some good traveling done while I can still walk! But, my life is what it is, and I wouldn’t have traded my husband, kids & grands for the world!
Thank you for sharing your travels with us all – the pics, thevideos, the descriptions, the pointers all make us feel like we are there with you! Keep enjoying what you are doing, and sharing with us!