It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it. Life is long enough, and a sufficiently generous amount has been given to us for the highest achievements if it were all well invested
–Seneca
We often comment on how quickly time has passed. How the years roll by, our children are growing up so fast and that we need more time. Most people only realise looking back that what they had was enough. We all have the same hours in a day.
It’s how we choose to spend our time, our hours, moments, and days which create a meaningful life.
It is always now. What we do now informs our choices. If we move with purpose, reflect, and take action then we create a rich life. We will still make mistakes and things will go wrong but when we take these by the hand we grow. A life where we are constantly learning, growing, being curious is one of wonder and delight.
We all have the same hours in a day, the magic is in how we entertain our thoughts. This is not about grand gestures. It’s about how we show up daily. The small things, the daily rituals, the mundane which form the backbone of our lives.
How we do the seemingly small things is how we do the big things. It all flows from there.
How can we cultivate a more meaningful life?
The answer is usually complicated. It can depend on many factors.
By simplifying our life, for example, we will have more time to do what satisfies us and gives meaning to our lives.
Find a way to return, do something that honors our beliefs and passions. By returning something, we inevitably find a purpose in the act.