The Art of Purposeful Living: Make Your Time on Earth Count

Life can get away from us, if we aren’t careful.  If we don’t pay attention, we can end up spending our days just meeting our responsibilities and nothing more.  The problem is that if we merely survive life and just get through each day, we’ll waste this one and only life that we’ve been given.  Instead, our goal should be to make our time on this earth count.  And to do that, we need to become adept at the art of purposeful living.

What does it mean to live purposefully?  Well, it means to live intentionally.  It means that you aren’t simply frittering away your time watching television or surfing the Internet. 

Rather, you are cognizant of the fact that your life isn’t going to last forever.  You’ve come to terms with the fact that someday you will die, and that this life that we’ve been given is finite.

That may sound depressing.  And yes, to a certain extent it is.  But that knowledge should light a fire under you!  Given that our days on this earth are finite, you should be treating every day as precious and not to be wasted.

And you should be planning on how you are going to spend your time on this earth (however long it may be).  You have to decide how it is that you are going to make your time on this earth count.

Below are ways that you can make each day of your life count.  Consider applying these approaches in your life, and see how much more meaningful your life can become! 

Pursue Your Passions

One of the most rewarding things that you can do with your time is to pursue your passions.  And realize that life passions are different for everyone.  In fact, I’m always amazed at the different activities that resonate with people.

For instance, I have a former boss who loves knitting.  She actually travels to other states for conferences to get together with other knitters.  I also have a friend who is a Francophile.  He loves all things French, from the language to the culture to the cuisine.  And he incorporates all three into his lifestyle on a daily basis.  The types of passions that people can have are incredibly varied.

Your passion – whatever it may be – is the spice in your life.  Without our passions, life is incredibly bland.  So, you need to figure out what your passion is, whether it be volunteering, a particular career path, or a specific hobby.  And then give some time each day to that passion.

Realize that when we pursue our our passions, it doesn’t only benefit us. When you pursue your unique passions, you make the world a more interesting place.  That is because everyone around you benefits when you share your passions with them.

So, invest your time in pursuits that genuinely resonate with you. Realize that pursuing your passions will make your days so much more rewarding.

Contribute to Others

Helping others undoubtedly is the most important thing that you will do in your lifetime.  It’s the most important way in which you will make the world a better place.

Now, if you have children, you first obligation is to help them.  Your job as a parent is to guide and financially support your children. 

But after caring for our children, there are so many ways that we can make the world a better place.  For instance, the noblest thing that anyone can do is to adopt.  Whether you adopt a child without parents or a homeless animal, by adopting , you make the world a far more decent place.  And aside from adopting, there are so many other ways that we can care for others.  You can encourage people you know who are struggling.  Or, you can mentor someone who needs your guidance.

Frankly, it really doesn’t matter how you contribute to the betterment of others.  You simply need to help others in a way that feel natural to you.  So, if you like working with children, you might volunteer at a local reading program.  Or, if you are gifted at knitting, you might knit hats for preemies in the ICU. 

The key is to do something (anything!) for others.  Our world is in desperate need of kinder, gentler, and more generous behavior.  But simply helping others, you truly make your time on this earth count!

Continuous Learning

One of the best things that you can do for yourself is to commit to becoming a lifelong learner.  Realize that our education shouldn’t end after high school or university.  Rather, after our formal education ends, that is when the true fun of learning begins!

The good news is that once you are out of school, you can choose what you want to learn.  And by learning new things or new skills, you make your life so much richer. 

For example, I know so many people who take up learning a second language in their later years.  My husband and I spend part of every day doing language study.  He’s studying Spanish, and I’m studying both Spanish and French.  We find that language study is not only good for our brains, but it’s a lot of fun too!

I’ve known other people who became history buffs after graduating from either high school or college.  Some folks like to learn a practical skill, like crotchet or wood working.  And others pick up a musical skill, such as learning to play the piano or violin.  When it comes to continuous learning, realize that the world is your oyster! 

And learning new things isn’t just fun.  When you learn new things, your life becomes far more interesting.  And you become more interesting.  In fact, the next time you think to yourself, “I’m bored,” challenge yourself with these questions: Am I learning anything new these days?  Do I need to find a subject to study?  Is there a skill I could develop? 

Life is never boring if you are a lifelong learner.  Far from it!  By choosing to become a lifelong learner, you can make every one of your days on this earth absolutely fascinating.

Focus on Having Positive Relationships

As human beings, we are made to be in relationship with others.  It’s the way that we’re built.  And your time on this earth will be so much more pleasing if you cultivate positive relationships.

Of course, you can’t have positive relationships with everyone.  Some people just aren’t interested in that.  However, there are so many other people in this world who are positive and kind.  Gravitate toward those people!  Give those folks your time and energy, and develop positive relationships with them. 

And be sure to choose your relationships with others based solely on positivity and goodness.  Whether or not someone is related to you is neither here nor there.  Sometimes we can have good relationships with those with whom we share DNA.  And sometimes we can’t! 

The key is to find people, friends or family, with whom you have can good, supportive relationships.  And then intentionally give those people your time.  Those are the special relationships that will give you joy and a sense of belonging.  And those are the relationships that will make you feel like your time on this earth was well-spent. 

Practice Mindfulness

One of the biggest ways in which we waste our time on this earth is by spending our time worrying.  It’s often said that worrying is like sitting in rocking chair.  You’ll engage in a lot of work, but it will get you nowhere!

Worrying is a bad habit.  And it’s a hard one to break.  But one of the best ways to cut down on worrying or negative thinking is by practicing mindfulness. 

When we practice mindfulness, we simply practice focusing on the present moment.  So, we aren’t fretting about what happened in the past.  Nor are we worrying about an unknown future.  Instead, we are solely focused on this very moment.

There are many ways to practice mindfulness.  For instance, you can meditate and focus on your breath or an object.  Or, you can take a walk in nature and focus your attention on the trees, birds and other animals.  Or, you can engage in an activity that puts you in the “zone” where you are engrossed in what you’re doing in that moment.

For instance, when I am writing these blog posts, I’m in the zone!  My mind is on my writing and nothing else.  The same holds true when I play my piano.  There are certain activities that require my undivided attention. As a result, when I do those activities my mind doesn’t wander to either worrying thoughts or negative thinking.

The more you practice mindfulness, the less of your life will be spent in worry or negative thinking.  Instead, your time on earth will be spent focused on the present moment, and hopefully on thinking good, positive thoughts.  And that is time well-spent!

Leave a Legacy

If you want to make your time on this earth count, decide today to leave a positive legacy.  Ask yourself this question: What kind of impact do I want to have had on this earth and on the people who encountered me during my lifetime? 

Realize that every day, you are creating your legacy.  With every word that you speak, and with every single thing that you do, you are adding to your legacy. 

If you want to give some thought as to what kind of legacy you want to leave, start reading people’s obituaries.  If you do so, you’ll find that some people leave legacies that are truly impressive.  They’ve left people with fun, happy memories.  Or, they changed the lives of others through their financial generosity.  Some have made the world a better place with their kindness.  But unfortunately, you’ll also read obituaries in which all that can be said is that the individual lived and then died. 

You might ask yourself this: If someone had to write an obituary about me today, what would it say?  If someone had to give a eulogy at my funeral, what would they say?  How will I be remembered by other people?  Will people have found me to be likeable and friendly?  Did I help others in need? Did I make the world a better place by caring for other people, animals or the earth?

If you want to make your time on earth count, there’s value in analyzing your life from that perspective.  Ask yourself some hard questions: What will your legacy be? Was the world a better place because you were in it?

Consider applying some of the approaches above in your own life.  Realize that figuring out how to make your time on earth count is deeply a personal pursuit. Decide what truly matters to you, and then start living your life on purpose.  Choose to live a life in which you make every day count. (To read more about having a well-lived life, click here.)