The Journey Vs The Destination - Choose

You've heard it and I'll bet you have even said it - "success/life is a journey not a destination". So, let me ask you, are you living that way or are they just empty words?

When it comes to life there are basically four elements - the past, the present, the future and eternity. You would be amazed at the percentage of time most people spend in two of the three (the past and the future) and how little time people spend considering how they are living in the present and how that will impact or influence how or where they will spend eternity.

I don't care what your opinion or belief is about Heaven or Scripture because in the end both scripture and science agree on the fact that life is more than a few years on earth. Without going into detail let me just say that life is more than just a body - it is also both energy or spirit and in the end the body ends but the spirit and the energy live on. Science has stated that energy cannot be created or destroyed but it does change form. No one really knows what this new spirit or energy looks like after death but why not live on the safe side and assume that when you die there is more than just the body and the life it lived.

So, back to the title. Since no one knows when or how the life journey will end (the destination) all we really have is the ability to live the journey one day and one moment at a time.

I'm not talking here about goals, plans, dreams or hopes. I'm talking about how you live each day that you are given focusing on what matters now and how it might influence tomorrow or next year (if you are still here).

Last year I lost five of my good friends and none of them knew they would not get to experience another year. I'll bet you lost someone close to you last year as well.

They are gone - where - we don't know. All we know is we no longer get to share laughter, dreams, memories or time with them.

So, focusing on the destination in my opinion is stupid - what we want in the future, what we hope for in the future, what we dream about in the future - got it? The future is an unknown but one we all hope we will have.

Very few people spend time considering what death really means and how its uncertainty influences or even controls their present. During the past year I have read a dozen books about death and dying and the common theme in all of them (different and credible authors) was simply learn to live now - embrace the journey, love the journey, live the journey, experience the journey and someday the journey will be over for each of us. But how we lived it will or may impact your eternity. Why risk it?

So, let me ask you - if you knew today was your last day, or this month was your last month or this year was your last year - would you live them differently than you are? If so - what would you do, start, let go of, improve, end, change AND - why, when or how?

http://ezinearticles.com/?The-Journey-Vs-The-Destination---Choose&id=9364155

10 Choices That Will Guide You To A Regret-Free Life

It’s easy to dwell on past mistakes — what we could have or should have done. But, those experiences shape who we are. The trick is to use them to grow. With that in mind, here are a few tips to stop regretting the things you can’t change and to focus instead on how to live now.

1. Own your weirdness.

Embrace what makes you different, and use it to your advantage. You are the only you in the whole world. In terms of supply and demand, you’re a hot commodity. Treat yourself as such!

2. Relinquish self-consciousness.

It’s impossible to control other people’s opinions of you. You could spend your whole life trying to make a good impression and you’d still fail eventually. Stop wasting time trying to please people whose opinions matter less than your own. Make the choices that feel right to you, and your self-confidence will grow.

3. Follow the three-second rule.

Not that three-second rule. Any time you’re tempted to respond out of anger or pain, take three seconds to calm down and think about how you’ll feel if you hurt someone else. It’s never worth it, and it’ll save you a lot of future regret.

4. Don’t spend time with people you don’t like.

It sounds obvious. But, how often do you attend parties or functions because you should? Time is our most precious resource, and not to be wasted on activities or people we don’t love. At the end of their lives, people most often regret not having spent more time with their loved ones. Prioritize them now. You’ll always be glad you did.

5. Love your work.

We spend more hours at work than anywhere else. If it drains you, bores you, or makes you unhappy, it's the wrong job. If you’re not sure what you love to do, take some time for self-reflection. If you already are, now is the time to start taking steps toward that dream. What’s holding you back?

6. Honor your mistakes.

Mistakes are lessons. Failing is not something to beat yourself up over. It’s something to celebrate. It means you tried. Learn your lesson, forgive yourself, and move on.

7. Stop seeking praise.

Doing anything with the expectation of glory almost inevitably leads to disappointment and bitterness. The way you invest your time should be determined by your pleasure and satisfaction in the activity itself. Then, positive opinions become a bonus and negative ones become irrelevant.

8. Follow through.

Making empty promises and assurances inevitably hurts and disappoints the people you love. Keep your word, whenever possible. On the rare occasions something unavoidable comes up, explain the situation and try to offer an alternative. This makes people feel prioritized, even when you have to bail.

9. Treat your body well. It’s the only one you get.

You know how on airplanes they tell you to put your own oxygen mask on before helping anyone else? Apply that concept to your health in general. You’re a much better, more productive person when you take care of yourself.

10. Practice gratitude.

No matter how bad things seem at an given moment, there is always something to be grateful for. Did you have clean drinking water today? Food in your refrigerator?

Consciously considering the things you’re grateful for can make the negative seem smaller and less overwhelming. Time spent wishing for what you don’t have is wasted. Time spent appreciating the present pays dividends.

http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-20267/10-choices-that-will-guide-you-to-a-regret-free-life.html