Making the Most of Life

Sometimes I reflect over how far I’ve come, what I’ve done, and how much more I’d like to have achieved in my lifespan. High up on the rostrum is my healthspan which plays a fundamental role to my wellbeing. When the odds are stacked against me it’s what keeps my chin up while managing to brush adversity to the side.

Our short lives are filled with episodes of ups and downs in cycles that can shape or defame us. We owe it to ourselves to make the most of our time on the planet earth. Whatever our background we are obliged to find a way, any way that brings us happiness, satisfaction, and fulfillment.

It isn’t easy and the real skill is coming to terms with one’s reality. That doesn’t mean to say sit back and ponder all the time. To the contrary one should get their butt off the ground and step up the game, put oneself into overdrive, and make it happen. At least one should try persistently until they start having health issues; that’s a sign to press the brake and ease off before having a heart attack, stroke, or other life-threatening illness.

I’ve had my fair share of business opportunities, lifetime experiences, and fortunately I have a good quality lifestyle. Clearly, each period is a lifetime experience that adds to the lifecycle archive, but it’s also a wake-up call to fathom out how to proceed, when to take risks and when to sit back and wait for the right moment to spring into gear. In reality, we need to aspire to greatness. We cannot simply ignore our inner ability to thrive. It is in our blood, the blood of a warrior, the blood of a dreamer and activist who wants to succeed.

Even if we are happy in our shell there comes a time when it hatches and we need to occupy ourselves by fertilizing our dreams. Simply put when we require something we are acting on instinct but at the same time we make something happen. An example of this phenomenon is researching the Internet. We are seeking something in order to grow. We have the urge to learn by searching out information that can provide the catalyst to arrive at our desire.

However simple it seems we thrive off trying to expand our horizons even if it is difficult to measure the growth that isn’t always easy to see. The fact that we are constantly expanding our horizons shows that we are not satisfied with what we have, and wish to delve into improvement that can influence our future growth. Either that or it is the knowledge that left to chance we are risking everything we have built and wish to avoid disappointment. We need to be on constant look-out for new ideas; growth related options, and prepared to take action when needed.

I’ve had my fair number of chances to shine, and whenever I feel the excitement, I go one hundred percent after my dreams. It isn’t enough to think about it or ponder over how it could pan out. If something comes along and one believes in it then total immersion is essential to having the minimum chance of being successful. I know, I’ve been there, and can happily report that taking strides to achieve the success one has envisaged has paid off.

Often failure is a manageable item that instills qualities not known before, but at the same time it is part of the learning curve to propel us forward. I’m not talking about those gifted individuals who’ve got all the credentials to make it happen, or those whose contacts have propelled them forward, or when the family ties give the encouragement to fuel contacts to provide favors that push individuals up ladders of success. I’m talking about those under qualified, not with family members and friends who influence outcome or individuals who are apt to buying their way forward.

Understand that we live in an ever-expanding marketplace that doesn’t give out freebies. There is lots of competition. It isn’t enough to be the smartest person on the block. It takes guts to compete with the big players. We have to discover ways to penetrate the top, move ourselves up the ladder while making consistent effort to grow. Trying once or twice won’t cut it; we are required to keep pushing forward, or otherwise pay the price of failure. Even if we press the right buttons there are no guarantees we will make it, but we must try. That alone is enough reason to bring us happiness, satisfaction, and fulfillment.

Take care!

Prof. Carl Boniface

Vocabulary builder:

keep your chin up = British expression to hold one's chin up to face adversity in difficult situations ahead. It is often used to suggest having the strength and confidence to move forward without falling prey to others.

defame = verb that defines damage the good reputation of (someone); slander or libel. In other words, put ourselves down by making mistakes or not following the right line for success.

fathom out = verb to discover something, or to work it out

shell = a shell is the hard outer casing for an organism (like an egg or nut). When we refer to our shell we are talking about how we are made up (our composition). In computing it is referred to have several meanings, most commonly referring to a user interface for an operating system (like Bash or PowerShell) that runs commands.

envisaged = adjective to describe what is seen in your mind

to propel = verb to show the momentum that pushes us forward

freebies = noun for things that we receive for free without making any effort