CARPE DIEM

Do you remember back in 2013 when Beyoncé was performing during the Mrs. Carter tour and reminded her fan to seize the moment of her being right in front of them versus trying to record her? See video clip here

After watching this video clip on repeat, I realized that what Beyoncé said was more insightful and powerful than the comedy that many fans turned it into. It wasn’t about a fan recording her concert, it was all about reminding people about what mattered most at that very moment. The idea of seizing the moment is far more complicated than many people realize, simply because many of us operate in a way where we worry or dwell on the future versus the exact moment we are in. It is far easier to record a video of a mega-star and know that you can watch it over and over again than to not record and have to rely on the memory and emotion you felt while trying to relive it with no “proof” that it actually happened at all.

Too many times we miss the opportunity to seize our moments in life. Big or small, we should all be living in the moment that we are in right now. Time can be viewed as one of the most valuable things because you can’t pay for it and you can’t get it back once you’ve lost it. There are so many times where I have missed out on a great time simply because I became too deeply engulfed in trying to plan every moment of the day. I went through a phase where I literally couldn’t remember what I had done on the weekends or even the previous day. I found myself thinking that I had experienced short term memory loss (yes, that’s a bit dramatic), but I eventually figured out that I was so busy making plans for the future that I couldn’t even remember what was occurring in the present.

It took 27 years, 4 months, and 9 days to realize that I was NOT maximizing my time nor was I enjoying the everyday, little joys in life. I was a workaholic, detail oriented machine – dedicated to creating the life I wanted but never realizing that the process was just as important as finished product.

After befriending someone who lived by the “I don’t make plans” mentality, it changed me. It sounds silly but I literally had tried to plan everything in my life. From what I would wear for the week, to what I would eat on Thursday when it was Sunday, to what I would name a new dog 5 years from now. I was wasting precious time stressing over a tomorrow that wasn’t even promised.

I finally adopted and embraced the concept of Carpe Diem This philosophy is all about taking advantage of the hand that you have been dealt with no worries about what the future will bring. I am by no means saying that one should live their lives without planning for their future, but I am advocating for accepting exactly where you are right now and celebrating it. Tomorrow isn’t promised, nor is the next 30 seconds from now so just take a moment to basque in it.