Are You Living Life Fully? Don't Just Exist, Thrive!

"Everyone dies but very few people live" - Des Brown

I have suffered the loss of two friends and my beloved dog in the past year alone. To say I am having an existential crisis will be an understatement. Death is an inevitable part of life. We all have to face it at one point. However, while everyone dies and we don’t have a choice over it, living is a completely different story and it is absolutely within our control but very few people choose to truly live. Why is that?

What does it mean to truly live anyway? Most of us just exist. We do what we have to do, go through the motions, collect our pensions if we are lucky and recede into the sunset. Living on the other hand is about experiencing what life has to offer, running full steam into new opportunities, and taking risks. It's about having the courage to  pursue our passions and dreams, and not let fear hold us back.It is about going to your grave with life begging you to hang on just because of the impact you made.

But, this way of living is not for the fainthearted. After all, we have responsibilities. There are mortgages to be paid, appearances to uphold so we choose to stay in our comfort zone and settle. We fear failure so we never take the steps that take us to greatness. This will all be fine if it didn’t lead to quiet desperation.That urge you feel to LIVE is your soul crying out for greatness.

The truth is, living life to the fullest requires a huge amount of courage. It means quaking in your boots with fear and still taking actions despite the fear. It means exposing yourself, taking risks, being willing to fail and learning from your mistakes.

Living life to the fullest is pursuing your passions. You know, those things that will get you out of bed even if you are not well. Do you know what that is for you? If so, how much time do you actually spend engaged in them? You ignore it at your peril because that is what gives you joy, fulfilment, purpose and meaning. Our passions are what juices us up, otherwise it becomes a dreary list of ‘shoulds’ which just drain you slowly of your life force.

Living also requires being mindful and staying in the present. It is very easy to take all the good for granted and gripe about the seeming unending negatives in life. This robs you of all the juiciness of the present moment and seeing what a miracle that life is. You don’t need death to remind you of the preciousness of your close personal relationships. Choosing to live requires a conscious choice to focus on what is good.

So, how can we ensure that we live life to the fullest?

• Identify your passions and make time for them. 
• Set goals and work towards achieving them. 
• Take risks and try new things, even if they scare you.
• Surround yourself with positive, supportive people who encourage you to be your best self.
• Practice mindfulness
• Live with purpose

So we know we are all going to die, but would you have blazed an unforgettable trail with life begging you not to go when your time comes because there will be such a massive hole? The choice is yours.

If you're a working mother and you also think we should place a higher value on self-worth, grab a chat with me here. If you want to hear more from me, you might be interested in my FREE masterclass – register here to watch anytime.