Whatever stress you may be facing in your job or job search, remember the big picture – life is short, appreciate and enjoy it while you can. Why am I saying this all of a sudden? Well, it’s also a reminder for myself as lately I have been bombarded with sad news that reminds me life is short and I need to treasure every moment.
- Someone jumped off the roof of the apartment complex we live in (downtown San Francisco) – died instantly. I didn’t know the person but to have it happen so close to home is sobering.
- My husband found out one of his best friends checked into the hospital due to stomach pain. The doctor told him he has to have gall bladder surgery and now after some more tests, they found some other potential disease and need to run more test before doing any surgery. We still don’t know what this means and how serious it is.
- I found out another friend’s wife, mother of 4 kids, who is only in her late 40s, has a rare form of bone cancer. She has already lost one leg due to it and is still fighting for her life right now with regular chemo sessions until July. Her chance are at best 50/50.
So I ask myself and you, are we treasuring every moment of life right now? if not, how long will we wait until we allow ourselves to enjoy life? Life is so short. The big picture is we are all lucky to be on this earth. We have probably at most 80-90 years in this life and not all healthy yeard. With that perspective, how many healthy years do we have left and how do we want to use that time? Do we want to stress and dwell on the small stuff or do we want to figure out how to experience life to the fullest every moment and now? This may mean pursuing your passion in your career and/or spending more time with your family
Living life in the present is easier said than done. To live life to the fullest, you have to start by being present instead of in your head. I know first hand it’s hard to be always in the present. How often do we really stop and just look around to appreciate our current life and the beauty of everything around us? If you are anything like me, then not very often. We are constantly in our head worrying about one problem or another related to our job, job search, career direction or life issues. Once in awhile I would emerge from this never ending thought pattern and realize wow, time is flying by. I know death is a morbid subject but it is also necessary to look at it to remind us that life is short and we should remember the big picture.
One way that helps me stop and be present is going running. I am lucky to live by the water in San Francisco. This view is only 10 min away 
from where I live. I started running again 3 weeks ago after giving birth 3 months before by C section. My run is very slow filled with breaks but it’s so liberating. I am always in awe of the beauty around me when I run. It reminds me to be thankful to be healthy, to have a loving family, to have kids (3.5 year old and 3 months old) who are healthy and well adjusted.
from where I live. I started running again 3 weeks ago after giving birth 3 months before by C section. My run is very slow filled with breaks but it’s so liberating. I am always in awe of the beauty around me when I run. It reminds me to be thankful to be healthy, to have a loving family, to have kids (3.5 year old and 3 months old) who are healthy and well adjusted.I am at a cross road in my career right now. I have been losing sleep over what to do, over-analyzing my choices. So much so I forgot to be thankful that I have choices in my career and in my life. Life is actually good without everything being in place. I guess this post is really to remind myself to always appreciate what I have because it’s not permanent. Instead of hoping for everything to be perfect, remember it can be a lot worse also, like a neighbor who takes his own life or a friend too young to be fighting for her life from a rare disease. No matter how imperfect your life may seem, take some time to be thankful of what is working and realize that we are all lucky to just be able to experience life with all its up and down on this earth.
Best wishes! I am always in your corner.
Lei
Thanks Lei, what you have written is so true. My life has always been so busy and stressful so much so that I was neither here nor there to enjoy spending time with my family. I was too preoccupied with many future thinkings and was unable to enjoy the present time. Thank you so much for reminding me. I believe this is yet another gentle reminder that God has regularly tapped my shoulder throughout my life. This time He goes through you. God bless.
David, thanks for taking the time to comment. I am glad my article reached you and you were open to hear its message. Best wishes to you of a happy, fulfilled life today and every day in the future. happy friday! 🙂