Imagine you have a 50/50 shot at surviving a life threatening disease. Do you see the glass half full or half empty? The new movie 50/50, which is in theaters now, is inspired by a true story. It takes a look at what you would do with your life if were given a 50% chance of surviving cancer.
We often loose sight of what's important and get bogged down by our daily lives until we have an Oprah "Ah ha moment" like a cancer diagnosis, death in the family, or even a job loss. That's when we can start to see things in a different perspective. Other people are their own worst enemy and constantly use the phrases "I don't" or "I can't."
Take for instance Kevin and Joyce O'Brien. They were both diagnosed with late stage cancers 10 years ago and were told they had little chance to live. Here's Joyce's story:
"While in our early 30's, in a five year period of time, we experienced a series of significant shocking health events. My husband, Kevin, had a brain hemorrhage and three strokes and was paralyzed, I was diagnosed with stage 2b breast cancer, he was diagnosed with stage 3b malignant melanoma and then the worst news of all, I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. After being told that nothing could be done to save me, while he had a 20-30% chance of survival and we had a little baby, I embarked on a healing path that we follow to this day. We have been cancer free for over 10 years and my husband is walking. Our passion is to share with others how to live a vibrant healthy life and to live each day to the fullest."
Still need help not sweating the small stuff? It's hard to take time out to reflect on ourselves, it can feel like we're being selfish when we have a to do list 8 pages long. If you have a hard time finding "me" time during the day, CEO of Motivated by Nature, Susanne Alexander-Heaton's advice is simple, quick and easy to remember.
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Say each day many times, "Every day, in every way, I am getting better and better." Say it into a mirror for even more dramatic results
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Laugh more than ten times a day. Laughter has been proven to release endorphins in the brain that make you feel better.
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Do something every day that is just for you.
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Take time to be "still" even if only for 30 seconds.
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Get out in nature, even if only for five minutes.
There are some simple things you can do on a daily basis that don't require much work to live your life like you were dying. Jason Kotecki, who's an artist, author, and professional speaker, and his wife Kim are on a crusade to annihilate what they call adultitis. Here's their advice on designing your life to have less stress and more fun!
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Quit worrying about what other people think.
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Examine your life for rules you're living by that don't actually exist. (Hint: there are way more of these than you can possibly imagine.) Start ruthlessly ignoring them.
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Watch less tv. Create more adventures.
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Pull out the good china and have a fancy dinner (even if you're only having macaroni and cheese.)
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Start dreaming a little bit bigger than seems reasonable. That's how you know you're doing it right.
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We spend an awful lot of time worrying about "big things" (i.e. the economy, health care, unemployment, wars, etc.); but when we get to the end of our lives, when we're on our deathbeds with the people we love gathered around us, those big things never seem to make the conversation. You know what does? The little things: the games we played around the dinner table, the adventures we had with our partners in crime. In short, the scenes. Work on creating more of those.
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Buy more fresh flowers to keep in your home. They're worth every penny.
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Do more of what excites you to the core. Do less of what doesn't.
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Remember that EVERY day is a holiday. It's just that most days, what to celebrate is up to you.
Whether you have a .1% or 99.9% chance of living, what we leave behind when we leave this world isn't just about our brilliant works but how people felt in our presence.
