Matt Clark Unplugged

Make Your Years Count

// August 11th, 2008 // Personal Development

Yesterday was my birthday, and I spent the whole day in a complete state of gratitude and reflection. I was sent a birthday wish via email and I took some time to look and take stock. Here is what the email said:

“Don’t just count your years, make your years count.”
Ernest Meyers

What matters most in life is often viewed as peripheral to the things that we usually focus on. Passion takes a backseat to production, wellness to working, and balance to busyness. The old adage that “life is not a dress rehearsal” is so true. We act to the contrary by putting off what is truly important or indulge in things that are not. On your birthday, stop focusing on your age and start meditating on your life at this exact moment. How can you make it better? During the next year, reshuffle your priorities. Spend more time with family and friends, take care of your body and health by eating well and exercising regularly.  Offer to help others in need. Discover what matters most to you, and make your daily life into a true reflection of those ideas, beliefs, and attitudes…

You see my life is amazing, really it is. Just over a year and half ago I went through what was mentioned in the email above. I looked at my life and saw it as a downward spiral. From the outside looking in, it was good, full busy, stuff… However, my internal feelings were of despair, unhappiness, fear, and anger- just to name a few. I was working all the time, I was not present in my family’s life and this had to change. So I looked at what made me happy. Allison and I sat down and really looked at where we wanted to be in the future. What life do we want to design?  Here is the list we came up with:

• Be present in our children’s lives
• Live a sustainable green lifestyle
• Be prosperous financially
• Help other become prosperous
• Travel with our children regularly
• Live each day, one at a time successfully

So that is what we did, we started a home business because all our research pointed in that direction. We found a business that we could work from anywhere so that we could accomplish our goal of traveling. We found a business that has a low environmental impact for day to day operations. Something that is high yield in its compensation for our service, and above all else a business that allows us to serve people.

Each day I get up with my kids and spend more than half my day playing and laughing with them, each day I assist others in finding their passion, each day I design my day and live it, each day is amazing.

Now, if you would have asked me 2 years ago if happiness was in my future I would have said “no, I am stuck, this is my life? What happened to my dreams? Where did it go?” Now I am a testament that with some courage, faith and commitment to stay focused, you can live the life you desire. I talk with many people each and every day that are unhappy with the way their life is going but lack the commitment to change it. Was this an easy path? No.

Do I still have to work at it? Yes, each day and every day.

We have all heard the stories of some catastrophic circumstance that leads us to change; illness, death, loss something like that. I am here to encourage you to make the change now, focus on the life you want to live. My life is amazing, did I have a great birthday, yes! The greatest gift is that every day is a birthday to me now and for that I am grateful.

Life is a playground, play well!

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