Are You Waiting for SOMEDAY?

Well, summer's over, kids are back to school. What are your favorite summer memories? Did you take a fun vacation, go to a college or family reunion, enjoy outdoor concerts, garden?

Or, did June, July and August look like the rest of the year?

All work and no play is not a prescription for a happy, healthy life.

This year is two-thirds over. What is ONE THING that could make 2024 a GREAT year?

If you're thinking, "I'm too busy to even think that way," that's exactly why it's worth taking four minutes right now to fill-out this "Today, Not Someday Box."

It can help you identify ONE THING you can start, stop, try, change, do differently in the next four months to make this a year you'll always look back on fondly.

1. Draw a big box on a piece of paper. Divide the box into 4 squares and label them = Square 1 is upper left.?Square 2 is upper right. Square 3 is lower left. Square 4 is lower right.

2. Write your answers to the following questions in the appropriate square. Be sure to write down the first thing that comes to mind without censuring it. Your first response is usually the most honest response, and that's the goal.

Square 1: “What are you DOING in your life you WANT TO?” Walking or running? Reading? Gardening? Going to the gym? Playing the piano or guitar? Meditating? Exploring new places? Going on adventures? Playing with your dog? Spending time in Nature?

Square 2: “What are you NOT DOING in your life you WANT TO?” Not spending time with family and friends? Not walking, running or working out? Not traveling? Not dating? Not playing sports? Not involved in community? Not learning a new skill? Not giving back?

Square 3: “What are you DOING in your life you DON’T WANT TO?” Over-eating? Watching too much TV? Wasting time scrolling social media? Fighting with your partner? Listening to news and getting upset? Spending a lot of time on zoom calls/virtual meetings?

Square 4: “What are you NOT DOING in your life and you DON’T WANT TO?” Yes, this is a double negative. It’s crucial though because it identifies unhealthy, unwanted situations you've quit (drinking? working on weekends?) and are successfully keeping out of your life.

3: When you’re finished, look at your responses in Square 1.This is what’s “right” with your life. These are contributing to your happiness, health, well-being, to your quality of life. Whatever you do, KEEP doing these things because they help you like yourself and your life.

4. Now, look at your responses in Square 2. This is compromising your quality of life. You already know these are important priorities, your gut just told you so. Yet you're procrastinating on them. Not doing them. Why? These are regrets waiting to happen.

5. Now, look at your answers in Square 3. These are the "shoulds" in your life, the duties, responsibilities. You may feel you HAVE to do them, as if you don't have a choice. The good news is, if you get creative, you can often reduce, swap, delegate ,or re-negotiate these obligations so they're not so onerous and don't sap the joy out of your life.

6. Now, look at your answers in Square 4. These are your "lessons-learned." Pema Chodron says, "Nothing ever really goes away until it teaches us what we need to know." Maybe you used to commute two hours a day and hated it. So, you moved closer to work so you don't have to do that anymore. You learned that lesson! The key is to keep these toxic behaviors or unhealthy situations out of your life so they don't undermine your health or happiness.

Please note: none of us have a perfect life. There will always be things in Square 2 and 3 that are not ideal, that are unsatisfying or depressing. The question is, “HOW LONG?”?

How long have you been doing these things you don’t want to do??

How long have you not been doing things you want to do?

John Foster Dulles said, "The mark of a successful organization isn't whether it has problems; it's whether it has the same problems it had last year."

The mark of a successful individual isn't whether or not we have problems, it's whether we have the same problems we had last year.

Ask yourself, "Would I have given the same answers to these questions a year or two ago?"

If so, that's a wake-up call - a sure sign it's time to change things, and change things now.

The Buddha said, "The thing is, we think we have time."

Are you putting off what really matters? Are you waiting to make a change your gut is telling you to do NOW? Are you aware of unhealthy habits/behaviors but keep doing them anyway?

That's a prescription for regrets.

As Chuck Yeager said, "At the moment of truth, there are either reasons or results."

Please understand, there will never be a perfect time or a time where we have more time.

The only time we have for sure is right here, right now.

I know you have responsibilities, projects to finish, bills to pay, people to take care of - so it's unrealistic to think we can change everything. Just do the following THIS WEEK.

Keep doing what you put in Square 1.

Start doing something you put in Square 2.

Stop doing something you put in Square 3.

Continue NOT doing what's in Square 4.

Albert Camus said, "I shall tell you a great secret, my friend. Do not wait for the last judgment. It takes place every day."

You might want to print this post out and discuss it with a friend and a family member.

Swap insights, share action plans and how you'll hold each other accountable for creating the quality of life you want, need and deserve while you still have the opportunity to do so.