Art of Life/Donna Parker
Seize the Day
Seizing the day, for me, brings up images of people who get things done. The Webster dictionary defines, “Seize the day.” as making the most of the present moment.
Living with the disruption that COVID-19 has bought us, we are reminded to make the most of the present moment rather than angst about the uncertainty of the future. Being present in the moment gives us control over our situation, and we can then take action to seize the day in a way that enables us to face the uncertainty and the unknown from a place of strength and power.
The secret to taking action and fully embracing the concept of “seizing the day” is to spend time working out and getting very clear about what actions and thoughts define what it means for you. For example, I now focus on NOT putting tasks or activities on hold until tomorrow. My future right now, like many of you, feels very uncertain. There is a lot of the unknown and to navigate my way through this, I need to focus on the present and what is happening right now in my life that is good. This means I have to commit to finding the space to spend more time smelling the roses and enjoying the precious moments in my life right now.
Integrating a new philosophy into your life does not happen overnight, especially when you have lived your life influenced by the advertising messages of self-gratification and living in the now. It takes time and when you take one step at a time, you will create and sustain transformational change in your life.
Five Ways to Seize the Day Right Now
- Get clear on what is important in your life. Clarity gives you peace of mind. When you know what is important in your life, you are less likely to be distracted or procrastinate. When you know what you want and have a sense of purpose, then you have direction and focus. You are more likely to take action to attain those aspects of life that are important to you rather than ignore or put aside for another day. Clarity gives you the desire and the will to take action.
- Let go of regrets and move on. Focusing on all the mistakes or the things you could have, would have, or should have done creates inertia in your life. Seizing the moment is all about taking action and grabbing opportunity — the complete opposite of living in your regret. There is no action, no movement, and no energy when you live your life in regret. That is why it is so important to let your regrets go so that you can move and take action to seize the day!
- Fix your priorities. Decide what activities or actions in your life are important to you. Create a space for you to spend the time to figure out what is important to you. What are the activities that bring you joy and energize you? Here are three simple steps to sort out your four top priorities:
a) Divide a piece of paper into four quarters and write down four things in your life that are most important to you. Once you have done this, have a look at the piece of paper then throw it away.
b. Then get another piece of paper and repeat the same exercise, BUT leave out Work and Relationships (Family). These elements of your life are with you all the time and are a top priority. They are non-negotiable. This exercise is about you finding out what the top four activities that are a priority in your life that bring you joy, such as exercise, creating, writing, volunteering, cooking, helping others, or spending time in nature.
c. Once you have finished writing down four activities, reflect as to how you are spending your time with each of these activities.
4. Set personal boundaries for success. When you have no direction, it is hard to focus on what is important to you or what path you want to take in life. As result, you are more likely to procrastinate, be easily distracted, and have no personal boundaries in place that help you regulate your emotional and physical well-being. Having healthy boundaries is also a great way for you to protect your emotional space. Your boundaries give you the physical and emotional control of your life. With boundaries, you know your limits and you can communicate these limits from a place of strength and emotional stability. These emotional foundations give you the energy and self-belief to go seize the day.
5. Invest in you and create space for you. Spend time creating the space for you to reflect, reboot, and re-energize. It does not have to be complicated. You just need to commit to investing in yourself.
Simple things like turning off the television and your phone provide you with the space to relax and reflect. Go for a walk, take up yoga, or do any form of physical exercise that gets you out into nature. Take a vacation and focus on creating balance in your life. Do not let the world pass you by because you are too busy working or focusing on tasks and activities that distract you away from your growth and wellbeing.
Life is too short for you to ignore the opportunity to seize the day!