Note: this post was originally written as an Atomic Essay as part of Ship 30 for 30 and posted on Twitter. I’ve copied the essay content here so it isn’t just lost in the endlessness of the Twitter feed. Enjoy!
Wellll, you’re in luck friends 💃🏼
Today I’m sharing one of my favorite quotes AND one of my favorite questions. It’s a special two for one deal. You’re welcome 😎
First up…the quote.
“I don’t want to get to the end of my life and find that I have just lived the length of it. I want to have lived the width of it as well.” – Diane Ackerman
The first half of my life I mostly just lived the length of it, but I can never go back to that way of living again.
I don’t want to just survive my limited precious years, I want to make the absolute most of them. I wanna show up wherever we go after this with no regrets and a ton of stories to tell. 😍
Which leads me to the next part of the essay…the question.
Does this pass the rocking chair test? 🪑
This question is my favorite because not only does it put things into perspective, but it also encourages me to let loose and be a little wild sometimes. 😜
I may not share all those stories with my grandkids, but you can bet your sweet ass I’ll be sharing wild (and probably slightly embellished) stories with the other little old ladies in the nursing home.
Where’s the fun in living if you don’t get a little wild? 👏
But on a serious note: This question gives you a lens to look at your choices and priorities through. Will these be important when the only thing you’ve got to do is sit in your rocking chair and play bingo? If not, let it go.
