Get the most out of each sunset and live life fully without regret. Here are 3 things to stop taking for granted for a more fulfilling life.
"Wherever you go, go with all your heart."
Confucius
In our global post-COVID-19 recovery, I appreciate even more the freedom to travel without any quarantining or other health restrictions that kept me grounded in Hong Kong for 3 years.
It doesn't matter if I travel near or far, it seems that my senses are on hyperdrive. The sights, sounds, smells and tastes are extra vibrant and delicious for all of my senses.
Most of all, my heart feels more. Seeing family and friends in person again is the most satisfying sensation of all. I think my heart got bigger to contain all the love and connection I feel.
On a trip to Singapore last week, I snapped the photo above while on a sunset walk with my husband along the iconic Clarke Quay and Boat Quay riverside. It had been 7 years since I last visited this vibrant city. It felt like I was rediscovering and getting reacquainted with a long-lost friend.
Singapore is a city that is close to my heart as it's one of the first international markets where I started my regional career 20 years ago. It's an important part of the beginning of my career in learning and development. It's also a part of my family's growth with many family vacation memories made over the years.
On this trip, my goal was not to be a tourist. It was to rest and rejuvenate after a hectic summer of new projects and reconnect with dear friends. Throughout several lunches and dinners with friends, common conversation themes of accomplishments, challenges, hopes and dreams bubbled to the surface of our long overdue catch-ups.
During dinner with a very dear friend whom I admire and have great respect for, we discussed doing the things in life that matter before it's too late. My friend is a great leader and has led a successful career in brand management for 2 decades. Now he is contemplating the sacrifices made along the way and when he should slow down and prioritize other things that matter to him more at this stage in his life.
Many of my friends are now approaching mid-life, it's a conversation topic that is common. Looking at the limited decades in the second half of life makes you more aware of the value of time and how to invest it going forward. But for many, it's a passing thought and they go back to the life and ways that they know and are comfortable with. While sighing, "I wish I had more time to..."
In my life as a cancer survivor and someone who lost her parents at a young age, I am well aware of the limited time we have to do what matters. Many people think about grand achievements and dreams as the things that matter most, and they do matter, but there are things that we take for granted daily that matter too.
Small things that get taken for granted daily become missed opportunities for finding more fulfillment in life. Over time the daily missed opportunities accumulate and become regrets.
There are no guarantees on the number of sunsets we get to enjoy. To get the most out of each sunset and live life fully without regret, here are 3 things to stop taking for granted for a more fulfilling life now, not tomorrow.
Thing 1: Time to Connect
Are you one of those people who make eye contact and greet co-workers as you make your way to your workstation every day? Or are you the type who is laser-focused on just getting to your workstation and getting to work?
During the pandemic with the work-from-home mandates, people spoke out about missing IRL face-to-face time with their colleagues. Yet as office time begins to resume, most people have fallen back into habits of getting to their workstations as quickly as possible to get on with their day.
Human beings are social animals. We are not meant for isolated lives and we know that isolation and loneliness have detrimental impacts on our mental and physical health. So why do we take the daily moments to connect for granted?
Think about your home habits too. Do you make eye contact with your family and say good morning? Or do you grunt and make your way to the bathroom? How do you greet your family upon returning home in the evening? How do you say goodnight?
These daily interactions may seem mundane and insignificant, but these are the daily connection moments that make life more fulfilling.
The simple act of eye contact, a smile and a greeting instantly connects us. Taking the time to have a conversation builds relationships. These are the things that make the day interesting, enjoyable and truly lived.
Thing 2: Time to Have Fun
Life can easily feel serious and hectic with our endless to-do lists and deadlines. The time to have fun is usually not on the list and happens only when we have time left over, if at all.
How can daily life feel fulfilling if it's all work and no play?
We know that play is critical for child development, but we often forget that it's important for adults too.
Studies show that adult play and playfulness are linked to well-being and life satisfaction. Playfulness as an adult has many important benefits for our well-being such as:
Helps to cope with stress.
Improves your mood.
Improves creativity.
Boosts overall well-being.
Boosts overall physical health.
Builds a sense of hope.
Source: The Importance of Play for Adults, from psychcentral.com
Regardless of how hectic our days were, my husband and I had a family habit of regular play. When our sons were little, we ended the day with funny bedtime stories that often involved improv performances. As they got older it was playing video games and board games together with them. Even now as empty nesters, my husband and I love a good board game on our weekends.
Playful moments are bonding. They create memories in our hearts that stand out over a lifetime.
Thing 3: Time to Take Better Care of Your Health Later
How many of us have said the following:
"I'll start eating healthier tomorrow."
"I'll start exercising tomorrow."
"I'll start dieting tomorrow."
And how many tomorrows pass as we continue to make these statements without action? I have been guilty of all of the above statements.
Most of us don't pay attention to our health until it screams for our attention in the form of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and high blood sugar levels.
While I will never be the fitness enthusiast that my husband is, I am learning to make simple daily habits that are easy and achievable to help me take better care of my health.
In my blog, How to Be Mindfully Productive, I share the importance of being aware of what your body is telling you. It's easy to get caught up in a task and lose track of time. We cement ourselves to a task for hours forgetting to drink water, stretch and move, or refuel our bodies in a timely manner. We don't expect our car to run on empty, so why do we expect ourselves to?
Here are some "no-brainer" tips that can help us daily.
Keep yourself well hydrated with a measured water bottle and set reminder prompts in your daily calendar to hydrate.
Breathe! Deep breathing sends a message to your brain to calm down and relax. The brain then sends this message to your body. When you breathe deeply, you lower your heart rate and blood pressure and reduce stress.
Set a timer to remind you to get up, stretch, and move every hour.
Walk more! Even just 20 minutes a day can help to improve your overall health.
Invest in healthy habits and activities daily so that you can enjoy more healthy days to come.
Nothing Taken For Granted
"Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen."
Benjamin Disraeli
Part of my past corporate career life was frequently travelling for work with sometimes long haul and short haul trips in the same month or the same week in some unfortunate instances. During that decade and a half, I remember the stress of feeling like I was missing out on what mattered to me most in my personal life and with my family.
Looking back now, I am grateful for the experiences that I have gained and the life that my career contributed to the growth and experiences of my family. It taught me to make the most of my time with my family and that small daily moments could contain just as much love and enjoyment as special occasions.
It's easy to be preoccupied with daily hectic lives and all of the limitless things to stress about. Sometimes, the best thing you can do to live with fulfillment is to take a deep breath and just be aware and grateful for who and what you have in life. Things that matter most to you are worth investing your time and attention daily.
(My husband caught this moment of joy for me in Singapore as I tried to capture every pixel of the Van Gogh Immersive Exhibition. This moment almost became a regret as I thought we didn't have time for it during our trip. Note to self "Make time for what matters to you.")
More Articles to Enjoy:
The Importance of Play for Adults - Online Article - Psychcentral.com
How to Be Mindfully Productive - Online Article - AYCLimitless.com
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What things in life do you need to stop taking for granted and how are you doing them?
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