This is your only life, so live it well.
Instead of worrying about things that you cannot control, focus on what’s within your power to control. That’s more than what you realise! My heartfelt advice is to forget about your career, unless it will make you feel proud to one day have a tombstone that tells the world how hard you worked all your life.
Choose wisely
I always say you can always get more money, but the time you have is finite, and in limited supply. Treasure it! Don’t work through your lunchbreak! Stop working all those extra hours without getting paid for it. Time is the most valuable currency you’ll ever have, so spend it wisely!
Time is life
Your time is so much more than just money. It’s literally your life! Stop wasting time by working longer hours, just to get more money, to buy yet more things you don’t actually need.
Instead, focus on degrowth. Earn less, but work less, be satisfied with less, but have more time available for you. After all, how much stuff do you need to own, before the equation flips and you’re being owned by the stuff? Why would you choose to do that to yourself?
Live your time
You have this one life. Only this one. Live it well! Spend your money mostly on experiences, not things. Take as much time for yourself as you can. Intentionally make time to do nothing.
Go on adventures! As many adventures as you possibly can, but try and avoid flying. After all, you only have one life, but we all also only have one planet.
Volunteer somewhere! Do something for no obvious reward, to help others. Believe me, it will make your heart sing! Be as physically active as you can be. Your body was meant to move, so unless you have a medical reason why you can’t, move your body!
Choose now
Don’t use the old “I just need to get that that specific point”. That’s a lie we tell ourselves. If you’re going to make a change, do it now! Don’t delay.
Stabilise your life financially, but instead of focusing on earning more, be content with less. Learn to knit, and knit your own scarf. By this time next year you might be knitting jumpers! Buy less stuff!
You only have now
The past is gone. Other than learn from it, there’s nothing we can gain from it. Let it go!
The future is a different land. We have no way of knowing what it holds. We have no way of knowing how much time we have left. Forget about tomorrow – live in the now!
You only have this one life. Go fill it with adventure!
Excellent article! Having to care for my Mum means I’m somewhat restricted when it comes to longer trips. Having said that, no one said adventures have to be long. I’m looking forward to my next overnight adventure!