When you’re 12, life feels long.

Really long.

So long that it will last forever.

But then school, teenage angst, college and work happens, and before you know it, you’re 30.

From then on, it’s as if the universe decides to flip the turbo warp speed switch.

Life becomes a big black hole of more work, more to-do lists and more complications.

Whoops, now you’re 40 and starting to feel tired and disillusioned.

You’re wondering if there’s more to life than all this mundane grinding, endless cleaning and conflict juggling.

Before you know it, you’re 47 (welcome to the club!) and find yourself watching the people you know drop like flies from accidents and illness.

Once these untimely ends start piling up, you find yourself wondering: Is my time running out?

Unfortunately, the answer is yes.

You just don’t know the crucial details of when and where (and if you could, would you want to?).

This is the moment another realization hits you like a ton of bricks: Life’s too damn short to waste on all the nonsensical minutiae you — and I (very guilty as charged) — tend to fill our minds and days with.

And by nonsense, I mean all that irrational overthinking, mindless complaining, petty fighting, and other trivialities that offer approximately zero chances of making your life better.

Yes, I know: Climbing out of all that negativity that’s set up shop in the (very big) corner of your mind isn’t easy, especially when you’ve been through one too many rough patches.

The traumas, triggers and sensitive spots are painfully raw and all too real.

But you have to try.

Every. Single. Day.

Think about something good that makes you smile first thing in the morning.

Turn the little, everyday things into glimmers that bring joy, meaning and romance into your life.

Revel in the realization that your life is what you make of it.

Decide to be present as much as you can, because the present is life and it’ll be gone in a second.

Stand in your strength knowing that even when things are bad, you can choose to make things better.

If you feel stuck, understand that your past has shaped who you are right now, but it doesn’t control who you will be in the future.

So whatever it is you want to do, or whoever you want to be, get going now.

Because the end will come, and as you’ve probably realized by now: Time doesn’t wait for anyone.

📌 IT’S ONLY JUST BEGINNING…

Life is full of endings, but it’s also full of new beginnings that can bring you magic, promise and peace.

To help you create more of the latter, I compiled all the beautiful (and powerful) lessons I learned from Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist into this article.

I hope you find it helpful :)

-Michele

💌 OUT OF THE INBOX

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