If I had to live my life over…

Dear Friend,

If I Had My Life to Live Over

I’d dare to make more mistakes next time.
I’d relax. I would limber up.
I would be sillier than I have been this trip.
I would take fewer things seriously.
I would take more chances.
I would take more trips.
I would climb more mountains and swim more rivers.
I would eat more ice cream and less beans.

I would perhaps have more actual troubles but I’d
have fewer imaginary ones.

You see, I’m one of those people who live sensibly
and sanely hour after hour, day after day.

Oh, I’ve had my moments and if I had it to do over
again, I’d have more of them. In fact,
I’d try to have nothing else. Just moments.

One after another, instead of living so many
years ahead of each day.

I’ve been one of those people who never go anywhere
without a thermometer, a hot water bottle, a raincoat
and a parachute.

If I had my life to live over, I would start barefoot
earlier in the spring and stay that way later in the fall.

If I had it to do again, I would travel lighter next time.
I would go to more dances.
I would ride more merry-go-rounds.
I would pick more daisies.

By Nadine Stair (age 85)

This poem really got me thinking…how would I live my life over?

How would YOU live your life over?

What would you do more of, and what would you do less of?

Would you…
Care less about what other people think?
Worry less about what might happen?
Stress less about imaginary demons?

And, would you instead…
Laugh more?
Dance more?
Follow your heart more?

And then I felt a wave of gratitude wash over me because I don’t have to live my life over.

I have so many precious years left, and so do you (*touch wood*). A better question to ask then is, how would you like to spend those precious few years that you have?

Which reminded me of another powerful quote by Steve Jobs:

“Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know of to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”

As you are authoring the story of your life, don’t get stuck reading the same page, the same paragraph or the same sentence over and over again.

Instead, follow your heart and intuition into the unknown.

Yes, there is a chance that you might stumble and fall.

But, there is also a chance that you might set off on a daring adventure that transforms you and others.

And you then get to write new chapters of your story,
Adding the kinds of plot twists and turns,
That make for a captivating tale…

A story where you are the HERO, not just someone standing on the side-lines.