When someone you know passes away…
When someone you know dies, it can put everything in your own life into perspective. A girl that I went to school with, BBC reporter Helen Fawkes has died of cancer, and it really made me think about my own mortality, and ask myself have I achieved all I want to achieve?
Helen’s list for living
She battled ovarian cancer 3 times in the past 15 years before finally succumbing to the disease. When she was diagnosed with cancer, she started writing a blog, and created her own kind of bucket list called My New List for Living… and she went on to become a BBC Correspondent.
She wrote about lots of fun things that she wanted to achieve in her life – from drinking in swanky bars to walking her dog in the countryside. It was always an inspiring read…
At school she was sweet, and kind, and rather quiet and introverted (and if you’re an introvert like me, that really appealed!), and although a year or two older than me at school, she was always ready with a smile and chat. After school, she went on to become a BBC Foreign Correspondent so although I didn’t work alongside her, our paths and Facebook “worlds” definitely crossed over the years, and her death was reported widely in the international media.
“I’m not terminally ill but I will die a lot sooner than I ever imagined,” she wrote. “The crazy thing is that I feel so well and yet I might be dead by the summer.
“As you can imagine I’m utterly devastated. I feel upset, angry, emotional, sad….But my time is limited. I can’t afford to put on my life on hold any longer. I want to carry on as normal as much as I can. I’m still going to work, and plan to drink the odd cheeky vodka and flirt with unsuitable men. Maybe not all at the same time!”
YOUR TIME IS PRECIOUS
Time is precious, and everyday is something sacred.
You can make a choice how you spend your day… you can choose to feel as though you’re on the treadmill, or you can feel as though you’re in control and making time for the things that matter, while you work…
Which one feels better to you?
WHAT’S YOUR LIST FOR LIVING?
Today, set aside 10 minutes to write down your list for living.
Things you’d love to do… from going to Antarctica to climbing in the Himalayas to volunteering in India to walking the dog to owning a red sports car.
Write down things that give you purpose, that excite you and bring you joy, and start living a JOY-FILLED LIFE!
Life is too short to have regrets, so start living a life that excites you, and is filled with love and happiness. It’s time to find your true purpose, and live a life you love.