What Eight Words Taught Me

This past weekend I decided to tackle the stack of magazines that I had set aside to read later.  My first not-so-hot-off-the-presses selection was the February 2012 issue of O Magazine.  I thumbed through the magazine until the caption “You…In Six Words” caught my attention and made me pause.  As I read on I discovered that writer Larry Smith issued a challenge in which he asked his readers to describe their lives in six words.

The Six-Word Memoir challenge generated a huge reaction, and Oprah shared the responses of some of her readers.  Perusing the article made me think about what my six word memoir would look like.  I wondered how I would describe my life in six words.  I did not have to wonder long.  Six words popped into my mind almost immediately.  “I live my best life everyday.”

Although those six words pretty much described how I saw my life, something still nagged at me.  There was something more.  Something that I missed.  Apparently I needed a few more words to accurately convey how I live my life.  I needed an eight word memoir to be exact.  “I CHOOSE TO live my best life everyday.”

Those words resonated with me and summed up how I live my life.  You see I live my best life everyday, because everyday I wake up and choose to do so.  Not everyday rolls along as smoothly as I wish, but everyday I live the best life possible under the circumstances.

I wish that I could say that I have always lived this way, but I can’t.  There were many years of my life that I passed time by waiting to get to the place or thing that I thought would make me live a better or happier life.

I’m a different person now.  I’ve grown, and those eight little words helped me to see how much my outlook on my life has changed for the better.  Life is too precious for me to spend my time waiting to live my best life.  That’s why I choose to live my best life everyday.

That’s my story, so to speak.  What’s yours?  Share your story.  What does your six or eight word memoir look like?  Why did you select your particular words?

“Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Blessings.

See.  Live.  Enjoy.

10 Comments

  • April 19, 2012 - 8:31 pm | Permalink

    I believe Life Is Facilitating Experience and experience is what we came into this world for. Like you have said, we can exercise our free will by choosing the best way to live that experience. Due to hectic schedules , most people have forgotten they have the choice to do so. Your post is a good reminder for the masses. Have a great day! :)

    • April 19, 2012 - 8:36 pm | Permalink

      As you mentioned the hectic schedules that most of us live can make us forget about our power to choose. Thank you for stopping by and taking time to share your thoughts.

  • April 19, 2012 - 9:34 pm | Permalink

    Excellent! I remember that Oprah issue and challenge, and I love your eight word response… :Working on mine. ;-)

  • April 19, 2012 - 9:42 pm | Permalink

    Quitters never Win! Winners never Quit… everyday I thank God for the opportunity to go at it again. Yes some day’s its the absolutely best and some days … not so much. Nonetheless be it in my family, my vocation, my friendships, or my faith they all have different levels of challenges but no matter what my will to Win is what drives me and describes my life best at this point.

    • April 19, 2012 - 10:18 pm | Permalink

      LeRoy,
      I love your six word memoir. I believe that the will to win is one of the most important keys to success. Thank you for sharing.

  • April 22, 2012 - 5:46 am | Permalink

    Well said! I used to wait for that right moment too, till I realized I was wasting my todays! Thank you for a lovely and thought provoking post!

  • April 29, 2012 - 8:41 am | Permalink

    This is excellent – especially the Emerson quote. I’ve never read O magazine – you’ve raised my interest. It was a challenge, if you ask me. But concise!
    VodkaWasMyMuse.wordpress.com / WordsFallFromMyEyes.wordpress.com

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