This morning mom called to tell me that she’d emailed me a copy of one of her latest iPhone artistic endeavors. She’s an amazingly talented artist who is extremely passionate about the beauty she creates. So I get a kick out of seeing her work. But what struck me as funny was her request that, after opening the email, I call her back to encourage her to take some time away from her art so that she would have time to do the laundry.

After opening her email and seeing the beauty of her creation, I called and told her that the art she was creating was an argument against doing the laundry. Besides, I told her, I could not imagine that on my deathbed, surrounded by my loved ones, I would utter the phrase, “I wish I’d had more time to do my laundry.” We had a good laugh and she went back to painting.

It’s likely true that the last words a dying person says on their deathbed will not be, “I wish I had spent more time at the office.” So with that in mind, how can we use a variation of that phrase to determine whether or not we’re living our best lives? Think about your life, your stresses and pressures. Think about where you’re currently living and your relationships. Consider the work you do for a living.

Now imagine, if you can, that you’re lying on your deathbed, surrounded by friends and family. And as you make the transition from this life to your next adventure, you utter one last thing to the people around you:

“I wish I had spent more time…

…at the office doing work that didn’t feed my soul.
…being mad at my mom for what she said to me.
…living in a place I didn’t enjoy.
…being angry with my kids.

My point is this: Life is short! Whether it’s 20 months or 120 years, in the broad scheme of things it’s a blip on the radar screen of life. But we live as though we’ll live forever and always have the opportunity to change and grow. We talk about all of the things we’re going to do

…this afternoon.
…next week.
…when we retire.
…when she apologizes.

And then life intervenes and you’re lying on that bed wishing you had spent more time …

…hugging your kids
…planting your garden
…painting
…doing work you’re passionate about
…taking that cruise

We get one shot at this life! Live it in a way so that at the end of it you can say

“I have no regrets. My life has been all that I wanted it to be.”

Carpe Diem