What are you looking for?
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A couple years ago, I realized that the majority of my life is over. That took me down a dark spiral. All the questions. All the choices. All the time that is not left. I don’t think I’m alone thinking that I have not used this life right.
To the outsider, we have it all. And in the context of most of the world, we do have it all. Of course I want more. Patience, peace, and purpose top that list and seem the most difficult for me on a consistent basis. What I dreamed of as I got out of the Army, 10 years ago in May, is what we have today. Gosh, so lucky.
A thought struck me as I wrestled with this ‘sliding down’ the back half of life issue. The truth is, life is long. We like to say it is short, but the reality is it is long. It’s about 30,000 sunrises long. Unfortunately, not for everyone. But today I choose to believe I have another 15,000 sunrises. I also know that one day it will be my last sunrise. And that’s okay. The real question is what am I going to do between this day and that?
When I shifted my mindset to thinking 10 years out, today became much more manageable.
It is easy to get frustrated. Finding the ‘wrong’ is easy but making it better is hard. It is hard to realize the small things you do today ‘make your life’ in 10 years. It’s very easy to get sad / mad / frustrated with your situation now. It’s incredibly easy to blame others. It’s very hard to own your life and be okay with this moment in time being part of your journey to where you want to go.
I can craft the life I want. I also know, with absolute certainty, it won’t happen suddenly. What we have today is the result of decades of work and patience. Decades. It has taken me half a life to realize that nothing great is sudden. It takes real time. The question is what will my life be in 10 years?
Thinking that way changes my perspective. Now life is an adventure filled with moments to shape your life. What can you do in the next 10 seconds that will shape the next 10 minutes that will shape the next 10 days that will shape the next 10 weeks and the next 10 months and ultimately the next 10 years? What can I do in the next 10 seconds to have the relationships I want? The headspace I want, the health I want, the work I want, to live where I want, and wake up each day and have the freedom to do what I want? While not forgetting that desire is the enemy of happy.
You don’t have to wait decades to enjoy the adventure. After all, it is not about waking up 10 years from now and saying ‘you made it’ but rather realizing that you are ‘making it’ each day. You are making the life you want with your choices every second. And don’t forget to stop and recognize when you ‘made it’. When what you wanted once is what you have.
This is hard stuff. But what a wonderful opportunity. An opportunity to move through the next 10 years working to be better. Working through this by taking forks in the road with friends and making more along the way. Taking the good with the bad. The joy with the suffering. Seeking to understand while taking responsibility to do the next right thing. Understanding what we control and what we don’t. And being very comfortable that the only guarantee is that it’s not going to go the way we planned.
I’m going to work to enjoy every sunrise realizing it might be my last but believing I’ve done my best. I hope my people agree. Especially my three barrel chested freedom fighters and princess buttercup.
Let’s get after the next 10 years and make incredible memories along the way. We aren’t alone.
14,999 to joyful sunrises to go. .
