If you’re like me and have an extroverted personality, you may have had extra hard time with what’s been happening in our world. I have FOMO in life like no other, so I hate to think that I’ve missed out on something. I often find that my plate is overflowing simply because I don’t like letting people down. As a result, I tend to think that I have to say yes to everything in order to live a meaningful life. However, this pandemic has made me realize that I don’t have to say yes to everything. It was almost as if the entire world came to a halt and everyone was shoved inside their homes until further notice.
I’ve realized the value of pausing and taking time to simply rest. A friend and I often talk about how filling up our calendars and to-do lists to the brim isn’t as important anymore. As we get older, we’ve realized how important it is to set boundaries for our schedules. The pandemic has truly forced us all to just press pause and it couldn’t have been better for me. Personally, the current situation has been a really good time of reflection. As things start to open back up, I think it’s important to set a limit when it comes to the activities we fill our schedules with. It’s all about balance.
It is okay to not be able to do everything.
No person can do all things well, especially all at once. But you can do a few small things with excellence. When life becomes a whirlwind and you feel like you just can’t win, remember that it is okay to only do a few things incredibly well, as opposed to everything half-heartedly. It will also be way more rewarding.
If we choose to focus on the more important aspects of our lives, it will become easier to let things go. Protecting our calendars and prioritizing can really lead to what I like to call “living a life that will leave a legacy.” What I mean by that is living a life that shows who you are and what you’ve built in your lifetime. It means living with intention and purpose.
A legacy is like leaving a gift behind. Living a life that will leave a legacy means impacting others around you and, most importantly, the generations to come.
A quote that sums it all up by Shannon L. Alder reads, “Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” When you think about someone who has had an impact on your life, it’s an individual who truly made a difference. Those are the people you think about leaving a legacy behind. I think it’s something that we should all strive toward.
So, friend, if you struggle with FOMO and you feel like you can never say “no,” I encourage you to take a step back to decide what you can let go of. Then ask yourself what type of legacy you want to leave. Then, go do the things that are most important to you and do them with pure excellence. Those are the things that will make you leave your mark on the next generations and ensure that your life will have a legacy for people to look up to.
Featured image provided by the author
