Life Is Too Short To Be In Constant Go Mode

The last 2 weeks have been a lot, & it’s made me put things into perspective even more. When you lose a loved one, it’ll push you into a different space mentally. You don’t know if you’re coming or going at times; you just know you’re present…at least physically. But in reality, how much do we really need to be in go mode? Life is too short for that!

Life Is Too Short to Waste Time

We don’t value time a lot. In fact, we probably don’t even think about time unless there’s something we need to do at a particular time. Like right now, I’m sitting in a recliner writing, but I’m not thinking about the actual minutes & seconds I’m sitting here. I’m thinking about the amount of time I have left before this blog needs to be posted. Had I not been writing, I’d probably be doing what I look at many times as wasting time: watching something on tv. 

     Deadlines put pressure on you to take advantage of time & get things done. Deadlines are what makes me be productive. They hold me accountable. They force me to get done. 

     In fact, I work way better when I have to beat a clock. The amount of papers I banged out at the last minute in school were probably about 95% of them, & I aced them too. Too much time to get things done is a gift & a curse to me: I’m either gonna get busy right off the bat or wait til the 11th hour & work under pressure.

     It’s easy to look at time that way when you think about everything other than relationships. Those are the only things that time really matters for. You can’t get it back if it’s wasted, & you can’t get it back if the person is gone. And because of that, you have to maximize the little bit of time we all have.

Life Is Too Short to Waste Energy

There are 4 things that I don’t like to waste: money, time, food, & energy. And I don’t mean energy that you use to do things; I mean energy communicating & behaviors. Everyone has opinions on what they think is drama. Everyone has their own definition of peace. Everyone also has their own outlook on what a waste of energy looks like. Mine isn’t always conventional.

     When I was younger, I had no issue with going back & forth with someone. When they went low, I went beyond Hell. It was entertainment for me most of the time. Now, ain’t nobody got time for that! 

     Once I determine you’re not picking up what I’m putting down, I mentally check out. This goes for discussions, actions, & relationships. I just can’t bring myself to go on & on about something. It drains your energy drop by drop, & you feel it in your mind, body, & soul. 

     Wasting energy being constantly in go mode isn’t the best way to expend it either. The grind is embedded in me; it’s difficult for me to really do nothing. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve also realized that having a battery in my back can be a waste of time as well, especially if you’re missing out on time with the ones you love.

     Seeing my uncle in his last days realigned me. I reflected on the time we missed over work, over living in different places, over drama, & none of it was worth it. We can’t get any of that time back, especially now that he’s gone. We can only remember the times we had (& those were great times because he was funny AF). It’ll make you think about how you should’ve moved & how you will moving forward. 

Life Is Too Short Period!

We all have a bank with our time in it. It decreases every second, & there’s nothing we can do about it. None of us know how much we start off with nor how much we have left, so we have to make sure we max it out.

     Self-care is so important, & keeping up with your relationships is a part of that. Nobody can do life alone, regardless of how much you think you can. Take a pause. Reach out to your people. Make memories. Have good times. Laugh a lot. Go on adventures. Pour into one another. Build your tribe. 

     Don’t spend your time thinking about the what-ifs. Stop wasting time & energy beefing with people, regardless of the reason or the relationship. Grind mode ain’t always where it’s at. Stay social (well, somewhat because y’all know I’m one of those social anti-social folks). Experience new people, places, & things. Max that life card out because even though cancer snatched him away, my Uncle Charleston enjoyed life. 

Fly high, Uncle Charlty!