5 Ways to Live Your Life to the Fullest (Right Now)

Published by helloredds@gmail.com on 11/20/202411/20/2024

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5 Ways to Live Your Life to the Fullest (Right Now)

We found ourselves on an extended vacation at the beach a few weeks ago. It’s one of our very favorite places to go.

For the most part, we rest, read great books, take long walks, sit under the umbrella on the beach, eat lots of seafood, and do some amazing people-watching.

One particular day, I watched a family seated down the beach about 100 yards away. Most of the family stayed under the large tent and enjoyed the day like we were.

Except for one little girl… This little girl looked to be about 3 years old. She had on a one-piece bathing suit and an arm floaty on each arm. Also, she had on a cute little hat and lots of sunscreen.

As I watched, she did the most interesting thing.

Run, Jump, Splash, Laugh, & Live

You see that day, the surf had washed up onto the shore pretty far. All across the beach, there were little pools of water. And the children just loved it.

Also, the little girl I was watching was fascinated by one particular section of pooled saltwater. She spent the entire day running, jumping, splashing, giggling, and having the time of her life around that pool of water.

Truly, it was the most delightful thing to watch.

On that same day, two women arrived at the beach late in the afternoon. I would not describe them as particularly young or particularly thin.

But That Did Not Stop Them!

But that did not stop them.

For two hours, I watched those grown women go out into the surf, splash, swim, laugh, and have the time of their lives. It was such an intriguing thing to watch.

At that moment, seated under my umbrella comfortably, I had this thought… Why am I watching everyone else have so much fun, while I just sit here?

I like to jump in the puddles, and I like to swim in the surf.

But I’m just sitting here–watching!

Honestly Time

Honestly, it was a little cold that day. And if I’m being completely truthful, I was in shorts and a T-shirt and did not want to put my bathing suit on.

However, in looking back, I realized that I missed out on a whole lot of great fun that day.

The little 3-year-old girl had the time of her life!

And, the two older ladies had the time of their lives too.

But I just sat and watched.

Why?

Because it’s EASY to just sit and watch, isn’t it?

But is that really what God wants for us? Is that living exceedingly and abundantly?

The “Sitting Out” Issue

For you see, I think a lot of us have become content with sitting out and watching. Many of us have stepped away from the fun of life for one reason or another.

We used to run, jump, splash, giggle, surf, swim, and enjoy life. But somewhere along the way, we stopped. We took a time out on life. It’s almost like we begin living on pause or mute.

For most of us, including me, it happened over time.

Until I sat on the beach and watched those women and that little girl, I forgot how much I don’t do anymore.

Truly, I forgot how much fun there was out there in life.

Maybe you have as well?

Have We Turned Down Our Volume?

Things happen in life that can cause us to turn down our volume.

Truly, things happen that mute us and cause us not to live life to the fullest.

Perhaps someone hurt us.
Someone betrayed us.
We have gained weight and don’t like the way we look.
Maybe someone left us behind.
Or there were unkind words said to us or about us.
It could be that we have been sick or overcoming illness.
Maybe someone knocked us off our pedestal and made us feel awful.
It could be that we allowed the ideas and opinions of others to completely change the way we live.
Or it could be something else entirely.

Whatever the Case

Whatever the case, we don’t have to live on mute or pause or just halfway.

I’d like to make a few suggestions of things that you and I can do to get more joy, color, hope, and fun back into our lives.

These are some things I’ve been putting into place, and I am having a lot more fun!

Each of these is simple and doable and something that you could try even today.

So here are 5 Ways to get back some of the fun zip and zest in your life. These are 5 Ways to Live Your Life to the Fullest (Right Now).

First, to live your life to the fullest, RUN towards some things that excite you.

To begin with, as I watched a little girl and two older women run into the water–I saw passion.

What are you passionate about?

What excites you these days?

If nothing comes to mind, what used to give you great joy? What did you enjoy in the days past?

Why not make a list of five things you would love to do or do again?

Take that painting class.
Pick up your camera again.
Write that novel or that book you’ve been wanting to write.
Go see those grandkids they haven’t seen in a long time.
Visit a church in real life and enjoy being around other people.
Make that call you’ve been wanting to make.
Invite that friend to lunch you’ve been wanting to get to know.
Try something that you want to try!

Can I suggest this?

Tell one person about something that excites you.

Also, express aloud to someone else one thing you’re passionate about that you would like to run toward.

Then dash toward that thing.

“Each one of us has a fire in our heart for something. It’s our goal in life to find it and keep it.”

Mary Lou Retton

Second, JUMP into that thing that excites you.

Second, just like the little girl on the beach jumped in the puddles and those women jumped into the ocean, we must jump in too!

Will the water be cold? It could be.

Might we embarrass ourselves? Perhaps.

But if we are running with great abandon toward our passion, then jumping in should be a piece of cake.

So, here’s the question… will we jump??

“Growth happens on the other side of your comfort zone.”

Author Unknown

Third, to Live Your Life to the Fullest, Make a Splash once you jump in.

Truly, the most fun thing to watch about the little girl that day on the beach was all of the splashing she was doing. She didn’t just jump in; she splashed all over the place once she got in the little pool of water.

Also, those two older women swimming in the ocean were splashing around like they were 10 years old. They splashed each other and themselves and had the time of their lives.

So, make a splash!!

Do whatever you’re going to do with flair and finesse and color and music and lights and fun.

Question… will you do some splashing today??

“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” Helen Keller

Fourth, LAUGH and have fun doing what you’re doing.

Fourth, allow yourself the freedom to laugh out loud no matter who is watching.

That day on the beach, the little girl not the ladies never looked my way. There were many of us just sitting and watching, but they didn’t care.

So, I want to learn to do the same thing.

Even if everyone is watching or no one is paying attention, I want to belly laugh and enjoy life right where I am.

Don’t you?

Sadly, I don’t think we live with abandon or freedom. It could be because we’re so concerned about what people will think or say. But how might we live if we didn’t care?

How much more might we laugh and have fun if we didn’t care who was watching?

Laughter is Good Medicine

According to the Mayo Clinic, “A good laugh has great short-term effects. When you start to laugh, it doesn’t just lighten your load mentally, it induces physical changes in your body.

Even more, laughter can stimulate many organs. Laughter enhances your intake of oxygen-rich air, stimulates your heart, lungs, and muscles, and increases the endorphins that are released by your brain.”

Fifth, to Live Your Life to the Fullest, after you’ve run, jumped, splashed, and laughed, INVITE SOMEONE else to join you.

Finally, pass along the fun. Pass along the joy.

That day on the beach, the little girl in the swimming pond went and got her friend; she came and jumped and splashed too. They laughed and had a blast together.

Truly, it was as if she couldn’t contain the fun and the joy that she had, so she had to share it with someone else.

Also, I didn’t watch only ONE older woman play in the ocean that day. There were two of them; they did it together.

So, if you can, find your partner in crime, it’ll allow you to have a lot more fun.

Great Words

Truly, I love the words of Ecclesiastes 4:9-12:

“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.”

Closing thoughts – 5 Ways to Live Your Life to the Fullest (Right Now)

Several years ago, we were on staff at a small church in our area. There was a precious older lady in her 90s named “Miss Lucille.”

Truly, she had the best attitude about life.

One day, I asked her what she liked to do for fun. She told me that she loved to roller skate. She said she had been skating while she was still in her 80s, but wasn’t as comfortable now that she was in her 90s.

I could just picture Miss Lucille in her 80s, skating around the skating rink.

She encouraged me to live while I could. Also, she encouraged me to do fun things while I still could do them!

And that’s what I want to encourage you and me to do today.

So… Let’s live!

And, let’s have fun!

Let’s get in the puddles and the waves and the roller skates and let’s enjoy our lives.

Sure, we don’t move like we used to move.

But that didn’t stop the little old ladies on the beach the other day.

5 Ways to Live Your Life to the Fullest (Right Now)

Honestly, I want to begin to live up to 100% again.

Don’t you?

Even more, I want it to live like I’m driving a gorgeous convertible with the top down and the music up. And, I want to feel the wind blowing through my hair. Don’t you?

However, if we’re not careful, we settle into a boring life of driving an old sedan without the top down, with NO fun music on, without the windows open, and NO breeze blowing through our hair.

How bland is that!

Instead…

Instead… I see a large puddle across the way.

Would you like to come and jump in and splash and laugh with me?

“Yesterday is history.

Tomorrow is a mystery.

Today is a gift.

That is why it is called the present.”

Alice Morse Earle

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5 Ways to Live Your Life to the Fullest (Right Now)