Several nights ago, my son and I had a conversation about time. I don’t remember the specifics of how we got there, but I shared with him that I had spent many years feeling like I was “preparing” for my real life. Somewhere in my 30s, even after he was born, I think, I had an epiphany and realized that, while I was “preparing” for something bigger, better or different, my real life was happening.

That was an important wake-up call.

I started valuing the here and now more than I had. I realized that I didn’t have forever to “get ready” to live the life I was meant to live.

I have mentioned that my theme for 2025 is “presence.” I chose that theme in response to an even more heightened awareness of the transience of time brought about by my retirement from the university, the birth of my grandson and my son’s improved well-being.

I think many of us realize more and more as we get older that life truly is short, and there are no guarantees.

We can become paralyzed by fear by those realities, or we can choose to make the most of every moment, striving to use our gifts and resources to make the contributions we want to make in the world and soaking up the blessings of our lives, including the love of the people and animals with whom we share them.

Besides the conversation with my son, I’ve encountered a few quotes this week that have me thinking about these things.

The first is one that has been in my collection for a while, but I happened to open to it a few mornings ago, and I found myself nodding my head in agreement.

“Midlife: when the Universe grabs your shoulders and tells you “I’m not f-ing around, use the gifts you were given.” –Brene’ Brown

That idea has been one of the drivers for me as I have endeavored to align my business with my strengths in order to add the most value. It was one of the factors that led me to retire earlier than planned from the university. Sure, administrative changes amounted to final motivation, but at least as much as a pull away from something that frustrated and disappointed me, it was also a pull toward something else—the creative freedom and flexibility to use my gifts more fully in the time I have left on the planet.

What gifts do you possess that are languishing in the neglect of disuse? What tiny step could you take right now or at least tomorrow to start making the most of them? What can you contribute to the world by doing so?

I heard the next quote in a webinar that I watched for continuing education for my Yoga Alliance registration. The presenter, James Francis, said, “There’s no such thing as a bad time to implement a positive change in your life.”

So simple, but so true.

We often get caught up in the paralysis of waiting for the “perfect” time. I have learned that there is unlikely to be a perfect time, and there is certainly no way of predicting or guaranteeing it.

There is, however, right now. Even if we can’t do everything we imagine would improve our well-being, we can always do something.

What tiny step can you take right now that would lead you toward a healthier, happier or more productive place in life? Will it solve everything? Probably not. But that’s not the point. The point is that the only guarantee we have is of this moment, so let’s use it and take a step now.

It could be going for a walk around the block, reading the first page of a book you have been wanting to read, addressing an issue that has been hanging over your head (I did that this week, and it feels great, even though the entire issue is still a work in progress.), meditating for five minutes tomorrow morning, cleaning out one drawer that has been getting on your nerves, giving yourself permission to consider—just think about—a career change, transferring a credit card balance to allow you to pay off bills more quickly or sending a short text to a friend who has been on your mind.

Or anything else that could be the beginning of a positive change in your life. There is never a bad time to start, even if it is not the perfect time.

If you don’t know where to start, let’s get together on Zoom for a free Full-Spectrum Assessment. Click here to get on my calendar.

I’ll probably write more about the book I am currently reading, Dr. Michael Greger’s How Not to Age (I mentioned it at Monday’s Vegan Potluck, and a friend who heard me joked that we should have read that a long time ago. 😊), but for now I’ll mention a quote that stood out to me: “Changing your health destiny can start with your very next meal.”

What an empowering way to look at it! Dr. Greger often talks about how one choice can be a lost opportunity to make an even healthier choice. If we operate from that perspective and keep it in mind as we decide what to put on our plates and into our mouths, we stand a much better chance of making wellness-supportive choices.

If you are not familiar with Dr. Greger, he’s one of my health gurus. I’ve read all his previous books and often watch his short, informative and entertaining videos at https://nutritionfacts.org/.

How could you start to change your health destiny at your very next meal? Dr. Greger says that the most consistent research findings in improving lifespan and, importantly, healthspan, a longer time in good health, point to four simple changes in our diets: 1. Eat more fruit. 2 Eat more vegetables. 3. Eat more beans and legumes. 4. Eat more nuts and seeds.

Which of the above could you add to your next meal? Even better, could you substitute one of those healthful foods for something that is less supportive of your health.

Truly, there is no bad time to start taking control of your wellness where you can, even if there are things you wish you could control or change, but can’t.