Time Flies: Make Each Day Count

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As mothers, we know that the days and weeks can be painfully long.  We all discover that what passes too fast, however, are the years.

The Birthday Count

We spend countless hours planning and celebrating our kids’ birthdays, but rarely take a moment to think of our own.  Please, mommas, don’t forget about you.  Ask yourself the following question: If I only have ‘x’ number of birthdays left, how will I spend them?   

Here is a quick glimpse of what the birthday countdown might look like for you:   

  • If you are in your 20s, then you are looking at celebrating 50-70 birthdays.
  • If you are in your 30s, it is likely to be 40-60 birthdays.
  • If you are in your 40s, you have anywhere from 30-50 birthdays to celebrate.

For all of us, the reality is that our number is less than 100. Make that list of how you want to spend the next 50 birthdays and choose to cross at least one item off of it every year as a way to celebrate.  

Count Down Time

If you want to increase the chances of success on completing one of the items on your “Birthday List,” tell your friends and family or post for all to see.  This one simple gesture will increase the likelihood of accomplishing it.      

Sharing one of my birthday quests on Instagram seemed like a colossal victory because I felt extremely vulnerable putting it out there as it was something I never dreamed possible.  I shared that this out of shape, 44-year-old momma had a goal of running her first 5k.  I had not run in over 25 years.  Each week, I posted my race times along with authentic pictures of my red and sweaty face, capturing the reality of what it looked like to train for a race and admitted the self-doubt that was shadowing my mind.  

If not for the encouraging words and votes of confidence, I probably would have pretended that those words of wanting to run a 5k never came out of my mouth. Posting and sharing with people kept me on track and ultimately gave me the much-needed boost to cross the finish line.  Mission accomplished and one item off the “Birthday List.”  

Weekend Count

If you aren’t up for a birthday list, how about a weekend list?  Let’s suppose we are all going to live an average of 85 years.  Subtract your age from 85 and multiply it by 52. 

This will give you a rough idea of how many weekends you get to map out in your lifetime.  For a 40-year-old, you are looking at approximately 2,000 weekends. 

How will you spend those weekends?  Will you let them pass one by one until you get to the next year and realize an entire year has gone by?

Kids in the Nest Count

How about weeks you have with kids in the house? 

With a 16-year-old, 14-year-old and a soon to be 13-year-old in our house, we are looking at fewer than 300 weeks before we are full-time empty nesters. If your youngest is a newborn, you might have 900 weeks before the last one flies (or gets pushed) out of the nest.  Sounds like a lot of time, but the weeks somehow morph into lightning speed once they reach the teenage years.

What is it that you want to share or experience with them before they head out on their own?

Making It Count

Envisioning the time you have left in your lifetime can really hit home and put things into perspective.  The years will truly pass before your very eyes.  It is up to each of us to decide how to make this time count.  What will you choose to do with these 2000 weekends, 900 weeks and 50 birthdays? 

1 COMMENT

  1. Thank you Elayne for this wonderful reminder! Helps me to focus on all the gifts I’ve been given, especially the times with family, friends & kids, Time with my kids flies by way faster than I care to think about.

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