We independently assess all our recommendations. Purchases through our links may earn us a commission.
In this article:
- Most of us want to live our lives to the fullest, but actually doing that takes some dedication to stay open to new experiences and pushing ourselves outside of our routine.
- When you’re juggling your day-to-day responsibilities, it’s easy to fall into the safety of your comfort zone and put off new adventures until that undefined future date when you’ll have more time or energy or whatever it is you think you’re lacking.
- Here are six reasons to make the most of every day that you can use to counter that little voice in your head that says “maybe another day.”
Nearly everyone reaches a point in their life when they feel like they’re in a rut. You wake up, brush your teeth, drink a coffee, and go to work. The next day, you wake up and do it all over again.
Suddenly, you look back on what you’ve been doing for the past week, month, or year and think, “What have I been doing all this time?” You try to recall some moment that really stands out in the past month, but nothing comes to mind.
If you’ve never experienced this feeling, well, good for you. But, for the rest of us, this probably resonates entirely too much. And, of course, we all want to wake up every day and live out our wildest dreams. We all want to see in the world in full color, to feel our adrenaline pumping, that feeling of being truly alive. Life just tends to get in the way. What a strange paradox.
Like anything else, though, with mindful practice and discipline, anyone can learn to make the most out of every day. But mindful practice and discipline have to start from motivation, and that’s why I’m writing this article.
I’ve seen quite a few articles out there about how to make the most out of each day, but not so many about why you should do it in the first place. So, to give you a bit of a kick in the ass on your journey to mindfulness and appreciation, here are six reasons to make the most of every day.
1. It Will Make You a Better Person
Waking up with a lust for life will naturally lead you to have a myriad of new experiences. And every experience that you have is an opportunity to learn and to grow. By making the most out of every day, you’re opening yourself up to that growth process, which will eventually lead you to new skills and knowledge.
Every day that you stay cemented in your comfort zone is a missed opportunity to make yourself a better person.
As a more concrete example, let’s say that you’re walking down the street and you see a flyer for an open mic night at a comedy club. If you’re not making the most of every day, you might just walk on by and think, I’m not funny. Why would I do stand-up comedy?
But, if you keep yourself open to new experiences, you might give stand-up comedy a try. And, even if you fail miserably, you might find that giving a presentation at work is a whole lot easier than standing up in front of a crowded comedy club. Thus, by making the most out of your day, you’ve improved your public speaking skills.
2. The World Is Awesome
Aside from its capacity for self-improvement, making the most of each day is, quite simply, enjoyable. The world is filled with endless sights and experiences, many of them more delightful than you might imagine.
You should receive all of the world’s gifts with open arms, appreciate them, and then ask for more. If you live each day with appreciation and excitement, the world will continue to provide you with things to appreciate and be excited about. It’s that simple.
For instance, maybe you walk by the same Thai restaurant every day on your way back from work, but you’ve never actually gone inside to eat because you don’t think you’ll like Thai food.
Well, if you’re living to the fullest, maybe you’ll spontaneously treat yourself to a nice Thai dinner. Perhaps you’ll find that you absolutely love Thai food. Perhaps you’ll find it absolutely disgusting. Either way, you’ll be able to appreciate the experience of learn something new about yourself and end the day feeling like it was a day well spent. And that just feels good.
3. There Are People Out There That Have It Worse Than You
No matter your circumstances, there is always someone out there that has it worse than you do. And, in my opinion, you owe it to that person to appreciate the gifts that life has given you that they aren’t fortunate enough to have.
Let that imaginary person serve as your motivation for living every day to the fullest. Choose to see the world for all that you do have rather than what you don’t have.
Cherish every morsel of food that you’re fortunate enough to eat. There are people out there starving. Appreciate the taste of a cold glass of water. There are many people without access to clean drinking water.
Tell the people in your life that you love them: your family, friends, mentors, pets, and even acquaintances. The world is full of people that are lonelier than you are. Enjoy each step that you take as a healthy or able-bodied person. Enjoy it for those who are disabled or sick.
4. You Never Know When You’re Going to Go
This is the classic saying: “Make the most out of every day because it could be your last.” But, have you ever really thought about that? The way I see it, if you accept death as the inevitability that it is, there are two ways it can go.
It may, in your mind, render your life meaningless and cause you to think, “What’s the point of life anyway when it’s just going to end eventually?”
Alternatively, accepting the fact that your life has an end date (an unknown one) can motivate you to drink up every drop of life’s enjoyment while you have the time to do so. Let’s choose the latter.
You only have a limited time. It’s the truth. So, get moving! Leave no stone unturned. Follow your dreams. Don’t wait until tomorrow. Start today. Start right now.
You hate your job? Quit. Or, at least, start making moves towards finding a job you’ll love. You’re stuck in a bad relationship because you’re afraid you’ll never find someone else? Leave that person. Open yourself up, appreciate every day, and I guarantee that you’ll find someone better. You don’t want to reflect on your life and realize that you spent so much of it in a job you hate or with someone who was no good for you.
5. You Deserve It
Maybe someone in your life has led you to believe that you’re not worthy of living the life of your dreams or that you aren’t capable of achieving all the things that you want. Fuck that person.
Maybe it’s not another person but a voice inside your head. Fuck that voice in your head. You deserve to enjoy every moment of every day. You deserve to live out your dreams. And anyone who tells you otherwise, even if it’s a voice within your own head, isn’t worth your time or energy.
Now, no one said that living out your dreams was easy. It starts with believing in yourself and making the most of every day. You want to be the world’s next great ballet dancer, but everyone says that you have two left feet? Screw them! Wake up every day envisioning yourself dancing on the world’s greatest stages.
Keep that vision in your mind as you practice throughout the day. And never listen to anyone who says that you’re wasting your time. Striving for the things that you want out of life is never a waste of time.
6. You’ll Help Others Do the Same
Appreciating life is contagious. Joy is contagious. Smiling is contagious. Make the most out of your life, enjoy the gifts that the world has given you, and you’ll notice that others around you will start to do the same.
Everyone wants to be happy. Some people just have more trouble with it than others. If people see you making the most out of each day, it will help give them the strength to do the same. Thus, you’ll not only be improving your own life but the lives of everyone around you as well.
Take this strange example. Let’s say you’re sitting in a cafeteria and eating an apple. You say out loud, “Wow! This apple is absolutely delicious!” Don’t you think that anyone around you that’s eating an apple is going to become instantly more aware of the texture, flavor, and color of their apple? Thus, you’ve inspired others to become more present and appreciative of the moment they’re in. And this principle applies to far more than just apples. Trust me.
