After the end of a text conversation with a friend, her final salutation was “Live your best life” accompanied by some fire emojis. I’m not always caught up on the latest colloquialisms; in fact, some days I have a real concern that I might actually turn into one of those “Get off my lawn” crotchety ladies. I mean, except for soca (I need my new music year after year), I’m already snuggly encased in my music time capsule, and I’d be lost if it weren’t for Google and Urban Dictionary. I’d maybe heard the sentiment a few times before but never really paid that much attention to it. So here’s my same-aged friend telling me this, and my brain’s like, “Ok woman, pay attention! This one’s crossed the generation line!” My response to her? “Lol, trying girl!” But you know my overthinking behind didn’t leave it there.
At the jump, I’ve always thought that my best life would come at the end of my to-do list of personal development goals. But when was that going to happen? I’m always adding new goals and editing old ones. And then when I consider the idea of ‘best’, I start thinking about the frame of reference. Are we talking about my life thus far, or are we suggesting that this right here is my peak?! Alternatively, is it just another way of expressing ‘do you’ because it seems that ‘do you’ isn’t too far away from ‘live your best life’.
Fortunately, I didn’t go too far down that rabbit hole. But I liked how I felt when she said it. It’s the kind of thing that makes you pause and go, “Aw shoot, I am living that life now!” In relation to where I was and where I could be, I’m doing alright. I am living my best life…by my new standards. It’s so important to acknowledge those changes in standards, no matter how subtle or in-your-face they may be. When I had chick nor child, when I lived at home and my pay check and credit rating were bonafide blue-ribbon quality, when my career path was as bright as the multitude of Instagram-highlighted cheekbones, at that time I could have thought, “Hey girl, you’re living your best life!” But I didn’t feel complete. On paper, I was set, but my spirit never bought that song and dance.
I think that it no surprise that ‘do you’ and ‘live your best life’ are bedfellows. I’ve lived a lot since my earlier, sheltered years and I can’t say that much in my life missed taking a hit. People say, “Oh I wish I can go back to my twenties”. I cringe at that thought. I love where I am, and I look forward to moving forward. I’ve come a long way so doing me is more effortless. My best life is me being more in control of how I manage my energy. My best life is me pushing forward with more purpose and surety that accompanies growing older. My best life is having more faith in the process and trusting that no matter what, I will right my sails in the midst of any storm.
That said, what’s your take on ‘living your best life’ and, well, are you…living your best life?
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