I’ve heard it about a thousand billion million times over the past few months thanks to Drake: YOLO.
You Only Live Once.
As true as it is, I’m generally the kind of person who hears these inspirational quotes, is motivated for about 10 minutes and then goes back to how I was before. More recently, though, I’ve given a lot about to this whole YOLO thing. I’m not sure if it’s the recent passing of my grandfather that’s done it (although that would be a pretty valid explanation) or that I’m just getting older, but it’s like I just realised that I could literally die tomorrow. Or tonight. Or as I write this blog post. I could literally sit down in a chair and fall asleep and never wake up.
So where am I going with this? I’m not sure. It’s pretty heavy for a Wednesday and extra, extra heavy for this blog, but I think it’s time we all started taking some risks. I can’t think of anything worse than plodding along doing things we don’t like because it feels like we have to, working in jobs we hate, putting things off, hanging out with people we’ve always hung out with not because we like them, but because that’s how it’s always been, sitting around waiting for something to happen to us (I’m a pretty good example of this), then dropping dead. For the last month I’ve had this fear that I’ll wake up in 3 years times and will still be doing the same things I’m doing now, with no stories to tell.
Someone important to me recently said this: “The secret that I’m starting to learn is that if something terrifies you, because you might fail terribly, it’s the right thing to do.”
My new motto is Alexi Wasser’s “What would the 50 year old self, say to do?” (Watch that – it’s short and it says everything better than I ever could.)
It’s time I started living a more YOLO lifestyle*.
*Just to clarify. I mean this in the ‘You Only Live Once’ take more chances kind of way, not the YOLO ‘knowingly make terrible decisions or act stupidly and say YOLO afterwards in effort to defend said behaviour.
Thanks, I actually really needed to hear this today.
I really needed this too.
awesome post kath
Sweet post!
ok so that’s scared me as I’ll be 50 in just over 4 years time!
it would seem that Isaac and your cycle have finally synced. your latest post speaks of the same problem
I’ve been thinking very similarly lately – i feel like I’m still in EXACTLY the same space I was a year and a half ago – same flat, same job, same boyfriend (only now he has moved in), still no major plans to go traveling, still not sure what I want to get out of life. And it’s really disappointing, I can feel my 15 year old self being disappointed in me for living such a safe life!
Every star sign I’ve read this year points to change, a new job, new opportunities and i would realt love to quit my job and branch out on my own but it’s so hard to let go of a full time income and to even tell people what I want to do!!
In the past week I’ve been seriously thinking about things and have decided to make some serious decisions by my birthday in August. Fingers crossed everything works out alright! YOLO!!
This is just what I needed to hear right now. Thanks!