Reclaim your life
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Kaushik Chakraborty | Mar 14, 2009
This topic is inspired by a recent ad of an SUV in India called Tata Safari which talks somewhere of the life most of us are living.
The ad shows a corporate executive with a sad de-motivated face telling himself, ‘I always wanted to resign on a Monday morning.’ Then it shows a senior corporate executive sitting in a board meeting looking through the window to the rainfall outside telling himself, ‘I always wanted to chase the rain.’ Then a guy telling himself with a surfboat in hand, ‘I always wanted to swim with the whales.’ Then it shows a pregnant woman in a hospital saying, ‘I wanted to take a break for a year and see the world.’
We all, at some point of time in life, have felt this way. At least I have for many years. On every Monday morning I asked myself if this was the life I wanted to live and felt like quitting it all and reclaiming my life.
It’s true that we don’t lead the life we wanted to live. We feel the pinch everyday but we still continue living the same life. Statistics in the USA sometime back showed that almost 50% of all heart attacks between age 25 and 45 happened on a Monday morning. The reason is that we are stuck in work and jobs which we don’t want to do and thus there’s no passion left in life.
I always think of those famous words from a friend’s letter which I’m sure we all have heard it: ‘First I was dying to finish high School and start college and then I was dying to finish college and start working. Then I was dying to marry and have children. And then I was dying for my children to grow old enough so I could go back to work. But then I was dying to retire. And now I’m dying and suddenly I realized I forgot to live.’
Please let that not happen to you and do something to reclaim your life.
There is always that defining moment which can be called the crossroad moment when you decide to reclaim your life. It happened with me one day when I went for a life-enhancing course. As part of the process, I went for a nature walk. I suddenly saw beauty of the sunset and realized I was missing out on life and the beauty of this world. There and then I decided to reclaim my life back. Today I’m not living someone else’s dream but I can proudly say to a very large extend I’m leading a life of my dream though it’s a long journey.
But do you want to wait for that crossroad moment to reclaim your life. NO – seize the moment now. Please don’t be a passenger in this journey called life, drive your own life – live life!
Have no regrets in life
You ask any person who’s a success and living life of their dream. At some point they had to take a decision to move towards something they wanted in spite of the fear. You will never regret taking risks in life. If there is no risk there is no success. Last week I was reading a recent post of Robin Sharma in his blog where he said the last question before your death is always ‘Who did I become?’ Let that last moment not be a regret for having become what I never wanted to become.
Enjoy living in the present moment
Even if you are on your path and following your calling in life you should always live in the present moment. You should judge your life less and enjoy it more. All wise people see life as a great gift and don’t waste it on trivialities.
I remember knowing a person a retired brigadier who was living a life as a community teacher and whenever I used to ask him how was he, he used to say, ‘I’m here.’ It basically meant I’m grateful to be alive and acknowledge this gift.
Be honest to yourself
In life, be true to your self and live with intention. Even if you have found your true calling in life you need to live with intention to consistently and regularly ask three critical life questions:
Am I following my calling in life?
Am I being true to myself?
Am I being the person I want to be in life?
The late Michael Landon, movie star and great humanitarian, once said:
‘Somebody should tell us right at the start of our lives that we are dying. Then we might live life to the limit, every minute of every single day. Do it, I say! Whatever you want to do – do it now! Carpe diem. Seize the day! And expect miracles, because you are one.’
Thus I’ll again say, reclaim your life everyday and enjoy this miracle called life.
Filed Under: Miscellaneous
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Well written and so true. In the day to day routines we sure do forget to live every moment of our life, to take the time to actually see, hear, feel, everything is taken for granted.
The sooner we realsie and reclaim our lives, the better for each of us.
Wishing you the very best always,
Arpita Ghosh
This article reminds me of a book by Spencer Jhonson called ” The Present “. It is a good reading and gives insight on how to enjoy what you have today. It is true that most of us spend our today regretting what we did / did not do in the past and worrying about what future holds for us.One cannot enjoy what one has unless you start living in the present…. so learn from the past …. prepare for the future and enjoy your Present – which is a gift for all of us…. : )
Its quiet an interesting piece but here’s a contra thought . Everyone wants to live the moment but in life there is also something called as responsibilities. Imagine if we all spent time watching birds and bees and the beautiful sunshine and wait for that illusional job that we always wanted (well humans always are not content with what they have)then what would happen to our responsibilities?
Workaholics are addicted to “Doing” and enjoy giving “Lessons” to those who do not DO. So, they find it very difficult to watch bees. And are astonished and worried sic about people who enjoy watching birds.
“It’s easier said than done”….We all wish that what we do is not what we want to do but in the end ,we land up doing what we are asked to do in order to take care of our responsibilities….We chose the path,whatever first came to us….Life has become a daily routine of chores which knowingly or unknowingly one has to perform….so lage raho dada….there’s no end to Life…..
I wish I could resign, take a year out, and spend the year taking photographs.
Not sure when thats likely to happen.
Regards,
Ashish.
It is incumbent on all humans to live their lives to the fullest. Does this mean that one abrogates ones responsibilities and pursues what one dreams and aspired for? The answer to this is within the self. Assess the situation you have placed yourself in, then complete the responsibilities that you have taken on as your load in life as opposed to that which is foisted on yourself by society’s norms and dictums. Then upon completion of your responsibilities, go after your dreams. Alternatively, contemplate and garner if you could take time to pursue your dreams whilst also attending to your responsibilities. Act on decisions you have made and be fluid with your life and enjoy the future. The current Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has faced many failures in his career. Yet, he perservered and conqured, being the determined patient man that he is, he achieved greatness and respect, adulation and adoration. He never gave up his dreams and he never set aside his responsibilities. Alfred the Great King of Britons faced many set backs whence beset by failures in battle with the invading Danes, yet, stuck to his dreams and aspirations to lead the Britons whilst never abrogating his personal responsibilities. He perservered and prevailed. Here are examples of those that have shown that one could succeed at both dreams and responsibilities with determination and a well thought of plan.
Excellent article!!! I know how it feels like, since I experienced it for 5 years at a medical school. I’m now determined to change my strategy this time and I’m working on that.