A Time to Live For Today

“Live for today, because right now – today is all you have.”

I was writing in my journals this morning as I usually do on Tuesdays. (Tuesdays are my time to have a day off of work. Working two jobs it can get crazy overwhelming if I do not have at least one day completely off.) I wrote the above phrase. Before that my question was, “When can we stop spending so much time worrying about what is out of our control?”

Over the last two years I have spent SO much time worrying. Maybe you have, too. I have always had a strong faith. But because I am human, I struggle with surrendering my worry completely over to God. I will pray like I want to let Him know what I am dealing with, but I hold on because I think that I can figure out a way to relieve the worry on my own. This is how my anxiety settled in the first time. This is why it is working on settling in again. It is 2022 and we are still in the middle of this messy pandemic.

So what are we going to do about it? How can we let go of the fear? How can we say no to our anxiety? How do we really know what to do next?

What has been working: Taking one day at a time. Taking a vitamin D supplement. Eating foods that are better for me. Going on a walk at least once a week/ exercising outside of work. Having one piece of chocolate every day.

What has not been working: Too much caffeine. Too much time alone. Allowing the words of the world to be louder that the words of God. Watching too many tv shows.

Maybe your lists are similar to mine. Maybe you have different things on your lists. That is okay. Acknowledging what is working and what isn’t will help you know what needs to change, and what can stay the same. Having a piece of chocolate is something I do not want to give up. I enjoy it. I did give up having soda, because I would rather have some tea or water instead.

Living for today looks like: Making time to laugh. Doing something that makes you happy. Find joy in the small moments. Talk to someone who loves you. Breathe.

Living for today, and for your future: Celebrate accomplishments. Make plans and goals. Know that failure is going to happen. Make choices that will help you live more days, not less. Cherish your moments with friends and family. Find a job that brings you joy. Travel – make plans for time off.

Main point – Life is too short to be in constant fear. Life is too short to be unhappy for a long time. Make time for what you enjoy. Live in a way that if today was your last, you would be remembered for being a happy person. Be remembered for living a full life. Be remembered for making the most of crummy situations. Name what works for you. Figure out what doesn’t work, make a change, and keep living your life. When you make decisions today, remember that today might be one of many more days you have left to live. Don’t shorten your life on purpose.

Listen to your doctors, and the people you trust. They listen to your problems and often know what you need to tell yourself from listening to you. Good friends will be honest and share the missing links that you are to scared to put into words yourself. Find the people who you can do life with. Trust them. Trust God. Trust yourself. Live for today. Live for your future. Let today be enough no matter when the time comes that you won’t have a tomorrow.

– Em