What Living Life To The Fullest Means To Me

We all know the saying “live your life to the fullest.”  However, because it is repeated so often, it has started to lose its effect. The problem with society today is that we take quotes like this one and simplify them to the point where they no longer inspire us.

This is seen time and time again in movies that overuse quotes, giving the impression that they are mocking it rather than preaching it, or social media posts that shed a comedic light on it. It seems that every insightful and meaningful thing we are told is made fun of nowadays. 

But, just because they are interpreted comedically does not mean they can’t be interpreted earnestly. 

With all the pressures we face every day, it is mottos like “live life to the fullest” that remind us to take a breath and be in the moment. Living life in the moment is more than just taking a mental picture and storing it away in your memory. It’s also remembering exactly what you felt in that second—how your hair blew in the breeze, the smell of the salty air, the warmth of the sun on your skin. These are the small things that can stick with us forever. 

It is important that we remind ourselves that this life is ours and meant to be beautiful, not taken advantage of. There is nothing wrong with the occasional lazy day, but we often spend countless hours glued to the couch or staring at a screen. It may not seem like it at the time, but these habits consume precious hours we could spend making memories, meeting new people and learning more about ourselves. 

One day, this will all become a distant memory so why not make it one we look back on and smile at? With life being so short, it is essential that we have as few regrets as possible. Don’t be afraid to do things that are out of your comfort zone. Just because you are not accustomed to the idea of something does not mean the turnout will be unenjoyable. Life is full of surprises and it’s okay to take risks. 

The phrase “live life to the fullest” is more than just five simple words. It is a reminder that we should never take life for granted because we do not know when it will be taken from us. When I lost my grandfather, life felt like a tragic movie played on repeat. I spent countless hours isolating myself everyday and barely spoke to my own family—until one day, as if something in me snapped, I realized that this isn’t what life was supposed to be like. 

Life is a path we take in which we face obstacles that we can either be defeated by or conquer and continue pressing on. Even when we experience days that make life seem impossible, we must take those days as lessons so the next is not as challenging. 

Living life to the absolute fullest does not mean that every single day must be amazing and life changing. It means that every day we have lived, we should know that we gave it our best no matter the obstacles we faced. Never define who you are based on the outcome of a single day. Instead, define yourself as someone equipped with the strength to make every day a new lesson. At the end of the day, you get what you give.