One of life’s biggest illusions is the concept of “tomorrow”. That there will always be a day after this one to live our dreams in. That today doesn’t matter, because tomorrow will provide us with all the opportunity, happiness and satisfaction that we so eagerly desire. The problem with tomorrow however, is that it keeps moving away from us. Technically speaking, we will never see tomorrow, because, well, it’s always today.
So long as there is a tomorrow, it’s way too easy to shirk off our personal priorities.
Here’s a list of all the things to make sure you’re doing today.
Some of them are easy, just no brainers, and others are a little bit more challenging. What they all have in common however, is that they are all things that are worth seeing to today, because whether we like it or not, our tomorrows are limited.
1. Stand up for yourself
Now, nobody’s saying to break into fisticuffs at the drop of a hat, but a common regret that people express in their later years, is how long it took them to learn to stick up for themselves and defend their own self worth. This isn’t always by aggressive means either, sometimes it’s as easy as simply cutting people out of your life who mean to bring you down. Simply put; prioritise your self worth, or it’ll be too late and you’ll realize that people have always walked all over you, and you made it all too easy for them.
2. Live in the moment, whenever you can.
Too often, people look back at all the things they didn’t do when they had the chance. That trip to India, or writing that novel that’s always beet ricocheting around their heads. There’s a tool you can use too; your instincts. They know what you want and learning to hear their (sometimes meek) signals is a skill that will put you in touch with what you truly want. Your passions, your interests, these are things that are worth pursuing before it’s too late. Sometimes a little spontaneity can be a real gift to yourself.
This can also mean giving yourself a break from the grind.
It’s all to easy to justify staying on that grind all the way around the clock. The logic is sound- that if you work 24/7, you’ll be set up for everything you may want in the future. Problem is, it’s all too easy to stay in that toxic cycle, and before you know it, you’re either suck in it or your ambitions have all but disappeared.
3. Take good care of yourself.
As with prioritizing your emotional happiness, taking simple care of yourself is essential to the now. Get a enough sleep, drink enough water. Eat healthy meals, and get some regular exercise. It’s the least you could do for yourself. While we can function without all of these things, it’s all too common to find that you wake up one day down the road wishing you’d started doing it years ago. Simple self-care is worth the effort right now.
4. Don’t care so much about what other people think.
As human beings, a social species, the importance of the opinions of those around us can often become overwhelming. Of course, right? We function in society, interact with it, even depend on it. The problem is, when we hold our own worth to account with the thoughts of others, we will sooner or later feel crushed by inadequacies. The truth is, nobody cares about you as much as you do. That sounds harsh on the surface, but when you realise that everyone is too preoccupied with themselves to fuss over you, it will set you free. Live true to yourself, and don’t worry about what others think.
When in doubt, remember these wise words: RuPaul’s mom famously said to the effect of:
“If they don’t pay your bills, pay them no mind”!
These sage words cover that key point we just went over… consider who’s opinions you care about. Chances are, they’re not worth the fuss.
5. Prioritizing the right relationships.
As with the importance of choosing who’s opinions you’re taking into account, it’s also important to keep the right relationships in proportion with your life. Prioritizing the right relationships will mean that those who actually mean the most to you will stay close yo you, and your relationships will grow. You don’t want to get down the line and wonder why those around you have drifted, while other less significant relationships have taken centre stage.
What would you bump up from tomorrow to today?
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