Life is Too Precious

There are two ways to interpret these 4 simple words.

You can avoid risk, shy away from uncertainty and stay within your comfort zone under the presumption that “life is too precious.” With this thought process, you can’t make sense of people who want to jump out of an airplane or dive with sharks because life is too precious to risk having something bad happen to you. You have worked hard to set up your life in the direction you want it to go and are comfortable knowing what is coming around the next turn.

The alternative is:

You welcome new opportunities, you seek out the unknown in hopes of new discoveries and take advantage of all activities despite the risk. “Life is too precious” to sit idly by without experiencing everything our world has to offer. You believe that life begins at the edge of your comfort zone and pushing yourself to new experiences only makes you stronger. Life is short and unpredictable so use your time now to adventure and ask questions because you don’t know what’s in store for you down the road.

I am not saying either way is right or wrong. Somewhere along life’s bumpy road, my interpretation switched to the latter, in that life is too precious to sit in a 9 to 5 job you don’t care about, but instead to explore new cultures and see as much of this big world as possible while I still have the energy. I can appreciate both and hope no one would do something completely idiotic in a chase for the next big thrill, or to stay inside all day afraid of what could happen if you go outside.

Next time you hear someone say those 4 simple words: “Life is Too Precious” consider where they are coming from and interpret it in your own way. I personally am more comfortable diving with sharks than navigating traffic on the streets of Chicago – I think my odds might be better! Life is precious and it is your story you are writing, so don’t be offended when others try to edit it. Focus on each page of your story to make it one you are proud of and want to be read by future generations.

15 Suggestions on How to Write a Better Life Story:

1. Push yourself outside of your comfort zone
2. Talk to new people every day
3. Avoid letting yourself make pre-judgements on people or places
4. Write down your short and long-term goals and how you plan to get there
5. Dream often…
6. and then take those dreams and make them reality
7. Make a list of what you want to achieve in your life, hang it somewhere you can see it every day
8. Find other people who support you
9. Read often and keep learning. Don’t just read books from one perspective, religion, or school of thought. Challenge yourself with new ideas
10. Always ask why? and seek out the answer – don’t accept everything at face value
11. Be interested in what other people are involved in
12. Continually be active in your life, not passive
13. Always be thankful for your situation and humbled around others
14. Recognize your fear, realize how it constricts you and work to overcome it
15. Don’t ever get comfortable, there is always more to see, learn and experience, but it is your responsibility to make the change