I Chose to Live

Many of us have heard the phase, “ You only have one life to live.” But it makes me wonder, why and how am I to live this life that I am given if there are so many things going on; so many changes? I have work, my family, my education, my social life and friends, and than there’s me…my goals, my dreams, and my passion. It’s easy for us to say, we’ll make each day memorable and do what makes you happy.  But how, when I have responsibilities and other duties that do not make me so happy.

What about this ‘happiness’?

I encourage you to take the time to learn what provides you with peace and a sense of calm. It connects to learning how to cope with our own personal stressors and learning to enjoy the small things in our life. Personally, I have been working since the age of 16 and continued my education many years after college.  So taking time for myself became a last priority.  However, I understand the importance of making a conscientious decision to find my happiness. In an effort to find my happiness, I began to realize that my happy was not any one else’s level of happy. So, I encourage you to do what makes you happy, in a reasonable frame.

We have so much to do in our daily lives, that it is important to find something that makes you happy. We are not all able to find that job that fulfills us or have a family that provides all we need.  So we have to make it a priority to do what we need for ourselves. Many of us have realized that we are what others like to call “people pleasers” and that causes us to want to do for others than ourselves.  However, it is important to remember we have to take care of ourselves before we can effectively care for others.

Living or existing?

In 2008 upon my college graduation I was posed a question that has stuck with me for years– “now that you have received your degree, are you planning to live or exist?” I was extremely confused by this question because I never had anyone ask me this nor have I ever had to think of my life in this manner. As I processed this question, I realized I had simply been existing due to not focusing on fulling my dreams and my life, but what others felt was the best decision or what others wanted me to do.

I finally had the motivation to make positive moves in the way of my life, take the positive feedback or criticism from others, and primarily focus on my happiness, whatever it may look like for me. After making a major decision to live my life, I decided to move to another state.  Then I decided it was time to fulfill my goal of opening a private practice. Now I am working to complete my doctoral degree while working in my practice…I vowed to live!!

Live…Live past your fears, live past your mistakes, live towards your goals, live towards your future. This is your opportunity, and now is the right time because there is never prefect timing. Ensure you do not wait for the ‘happiness’ to arrive and make it your priority to live your life.

So, I pose the question to you: Are you living or existing? Let’s live!!!

The Rose That Grew From Concrete

Did you hear about the rose that grew from a crack in the concrete?

Proving nature’s law is wrong it learned to walk with out having feet.

Funny it seems, but by keeping its dreams, it learned to breathe fresh air.

Long live the rose that grew from concrete when no one else ever cared.

– Lesane Parish Crooks ( Tupac Shakur)

Monretta Vega, LPC

Email: monretta@hsvpcs.com