Two weekends ago, my son married his best friend, and I was thrilled. It was a “high stakes weekend” because there was so much to enjoy. I wanted to soak up every bit. To be at such a happy event and find myself stressed or just not “present” would feel like a big loss. It was my time to live fully alive. I wanted to savor each moment. But how does one actually do that?
What Does It Mean by Living Fully Alive?
Living FULLY ALIVE means being dialed into how we feel and what we need. When we are in emotional pain, “checking in” gives us the chance to be aware of our state. It gives us the chance to be gentle with ourselves. As well, when we are in great joy, “checking in” gives us a chance to consciously bask in the happiness and amplify it.
Throughout the wedding weekend, I went to my hotel room several times a day, put on my headphones, and listened to the song, “You’re Gonna Miss This” by Trace Adkins. It reminded me to savor this very moment. I knew that in no time, the wonderful weekend would be in the past.
Then closed my eyes and felt my gratitude. I savored it.
Every time I listened to that song, I felt so full of happiness that I cried. Words can’t really do justice to how happy, how to present, and how full of love I felt.
How to Live Fully Alive
I hope you can live FULLY ALIVE, however that looks for you, and whatever is going on in your life.
If someone were to ask me how to live FULLY ALIVE, I’d say that we have to be open to feeling ALL the “feels”: the feelings that are uncomfortable as well as the ones we love. Our busy minds can hijack us away from being in the NOW, but observing how we feel brings us back to this moment. Numbing the hard feelings can leave us feeling numb to all the feelings. I’ve had many seasons of learning to tolerate my discomfort. In this season of my life, it’s time to focus on noticing joy and letting it be amplified in the here and now.
