Living Each Day As If It Were Your Last

When asked about death, the majority of people fear it. This could be due to many different reasons, but the main reason is due to the fear of not knowing what is going to happen next. But what most people don't understand is that you have been dying since the day you were born. (Smith). Ultimately, this is the truth. Your body begins to wear down at a rate so unimaginably slow that you don't seem to notice until you have came to the age where your life is on the verge of ending.


The fact that you are going to die at one point or another is inevitable. Once you understand this concept that is so small but so big, you begin to live your life in totally different ways. "Stop counting down days. Instead, count them up!" (Smith 31).


Once I came to understand this, I made changes to my life in different ways. Using Robert Smith's wise advice, I came to look at each day in a different perspective than I would normally do. Instead of trying to decide what I was going to do, I just did it. "No reserves. No retreats. No regrets" (Smith 23).


Knowing these small concepts that I had learned from the book, it allowed me to get more out of everyday. Over winter break, I accomplished more activities than I would have normally due to these concepts. Instead of sleeping in every morning, I made sure I was up every morning before 9 am. This small change added much more time into my day, allowing me to accomplish everything I needed and wanted to do. But I knew just this small change wouldn't allow me to fully live the days I have left to the best they could be lived.

Because of this, every opportunity I had to get out and get exercise and have fun, I just went without thinking about the consequences. An example of me doing this is going out snowboarding every chance I got this winter break. Because of this mindset, I was able to get out onto the mountain more in two weeks than I usually do in one whole season. This also allowed me to expand my relations with my close friends that came out with me as well.

Overall, these few words that stuck with me have made dramatic impacts on how I went about living my life. I now understand everyday I am alive is a blessing and I shouldn't take them for granted, but instead cherish each of these days as if it were my last.

My question to you: How are you living your life right this minute, and what can you change in order to get the most out of your life?

Citation:

Smith, Robert D. 20,000 Days and Counting: The Crash Course for Mastering Your Life Right Now. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2012. Print.