I try to take good care of my health as much as possible. I go to the gym. I try to exercise at home. I go out for walks. I try to eat healthy. I don’t smoke nor drink. And I try to destress whenever possible and try to get as much sleep as possible. Overall, I’d say that I’m maintaining myself pretty well relatively speaking.
It has always been a goal of mine to live healthily past the ripe old age of 100 years old. That’s something that I’d like to challenge myself to do. So, I try to practice the right habits in order to do that. Whether or not I achieve such a lofty goal is beyond me. That’s out of my control. I can only hope for the best.
I try to set lofty goals sometimes. There’s nothing wrong with that. Because goals are great guideposts in life that show us whether or not we’re moving in the right direction. They show us what we want to achieve. How to improve. How to grow. How to get better.
But, at the same time, it’s not all about results. It’s also about the journey you’re on. The things you do day in and day out. The beauty of the process. And that’s what I’m trying to enjoy more these days. The simple process of staying present.
Of being fully present in what you are currently doing and enjoying the moment as it is currently constructed. Sometimes, you can’t just be going full-on at 100 miles per hour. Sometimes, you need to stop and smell the roses. Enjoy your surroundings. Appreciate the moment for what it is.
Stop trying to get somewhere. Stop trying to achieve things in the distant future. Stop developing a one-track mind. And just be aware of what you have in the here and now. That in itself should be sufficient.
I would love to reach the ripe old age of 100 years old someday. And I will do my best to do so. I would love to someday buy a nice home along the French Riviera and live there when I’m retired. I would love to someday achieve another DTM at Toastmasters. I would love to earn $1 million dollars in salary on an annual basis. Those are all good goals to have in order to further yourself down the road.
But life happens many times. And sometimes, achieving our goals don’t turn out the way we envisioned them to be. Sometimes, the goal is misguided. Other times, there are just so many other nooks and crannies that we’re missing out. Not everything is as they seem. The only thing that is guaranteed is the here and now.
So just appreciate where you are at the moment. Take it in. Take in the natural beauty. The natural scenery. And realize that this moment is all we have.
It’s okay to want to develop yourself. It’s okay to want that nice house along the French Riviera. But those are all external markers. And external markers can change like the wind. It really depends on your state of mind.
It’s best to somehow find peace within yourself. To find that imperturbable being deep down within each of us. And find meaning from that. Because external goals are great, but they only tell half the story.
We all have wants and desires that we want to do. To gain that feeling of status. That feeling of meaning. That feeling of accomplishment. It is never-ending. There will always be something more to achieve. Something more to do. And that’s okay.
We are always striving for more. After all, that’s how the human race innovates. That’s how we earn money. That’s how we survive and thrive. Goals are important. They are needed. But just realize that they’re not the end all be all.
What happens in this moment is good enough. It’s the only thing that is guaranteed. Because things can happen in the distant future that may sidetrack you or force you to completely abandon your goals. The future is volatile. Life is volatile. Not everything will go ideally as planned. That’s something that I learned throughout my years on Earth.
Things change. Plans change. Nothing is guaranteed. Every extra breath you take is a miracle unto itself. So, just enjoy the here and now. Feel at peace in the moment. And sense the everlasting beauty that is in your complete presence.