Nothing could be more frustrating than discovering one day that you have nothing to show for all the years you spent living. What adds to the frustration is that you know you could have done something but you did not, either because of fear or laziness.
The worst you can do with this realization is to spent the rest of remaining life looking back and blaming yourself (or others) for your wasted past. Perhaps, you are so overtaken by remorse and paralyzed by your frustrations that you decide just continue living uselessly as you have been doing.
Well, it is never too late to start over again and the best time to pick up what’s left of your wasted life is NOW. Re-assess your life. Maybe, you realized late the situation you are in because you had not been aware all along that you have been wasting your life.
To help you examine where you have been amiss and rectify everything, see if you are or have been in any of these situations that caused you to waste your life:
You have been spend too much time doing things you should not be doing at all. These include surfing the net for hours or checking your social media accounts every few minutes; playing video games non-stop; watching too many reality shows or soap operas. It is not actually bad to engage in these activities in moderation; but even then, re-evaluate if they add value to your present life, or if they contribute to a better future for you. Worse still if these activities rob you of the time you should have spent attending to your real tasks, duties, or obligations.
- You have not been satisfied with almost everything and anything. You have been complaining a lot and felt constantly overwhelmed with life. You always find faults in your job, the people around you, the weather, and almost all that have been happening in your day-to-day life. This way, you have been wasting your time spreading your negativity around and this attitude is very unproductive not only to you but to everyone you interact with.
You have been allowing your mind to stagnate. You do not lift a finger to find ways to learn or try new things. You have been so satisfied and complacent on what you are. You have great aversion to changes. Remember that change is the only permanent thing in life, either you adjust and move with the constant changes happening around you or be swept back and be left behind. You need positive challenges to expand your mind and stay productive in life.
- You have always been in a negative mindset mode. You have been your worst enemy. Note that the mind is a very powerful that can dictate your present and future life. What you constantly fill your mind will eventually become your reality. You may have been walking around with a negative mindset. If you are telling yourself that you are not capable of doing things, you soon find yourself useless to you and to the world around you. If you have been convincing yourself you do not amount to anything, then you will surely be as worthless as you want to believe you are.
You have been living an uninspired life. Nothing has been able to move or interest you. You have been living a zombie-like existence which might have been mistaken for quiet, peaceful life but is really a non-motivated living. Without passion for anything, it is difficult to be useful and productive.
- You have been floating around with no definite goal. Without any goal or dream to look forward to, your future will be bleak indeed. Like a rudderless ship, you just drift with the tide with no direction and no port of destination. With no direction or plan in life, you will be heading to a frustrating awakening later of a wasted life.
- You have been hanging around with the wrong crowd. Like wasting your time doing things you should not be doing, spending too much time with people who do not contribute to your positive development is as detrimental to your future. Birds of a feather flock together and most probably suffer the same fate. These useless people you have been hanging around with can be considered as “energy vampires” that suck the life out of you and give back nothing positive or useful to you.
You have been careless with your finances. You have wasted your money on unnecessary things—not knowing the difference between what you need from what you want. In truth, your basic needs are very few—the rest are just extras you could live without. It is said that the true measure of wealth is not by how much you spend but how much you are able to save. Actually, merely saving is not enough to build a sound tomorrow, but investing the money you save and make it earn will secure your bright future.
- You have been careless with your body. Your biggest and most important investment for your future is your health. No matter how many setbacks you may suffer, a sound mind in a healthy body will enable you to overcome all these and re-start over again. However, being careless with your health is like signing your death contract prematurely. A weakened body and feeble mind will greatly limit your productivity and will eventually result to a wasted life.
You have been afraid to venture away your comfort zone. You have grown so complacent in your comfort zone that going out of it have terrified you. You must realize that life is a series of risks, they are inevitable. Fortunately their effects can be negated or minimized, but these cannot be done by staying away from them. You should muster enough courage to take them with calculated precautions. Like vaccine, risks can strengthen you to meet bigger ones in the future.
- You have been living somebody else’s life. Home is where your heart should be and be happy. If you have not found happiness and contentment in your life, then you have not been living your own life. Whatever is your reason for continually leading an unhappy life is a waste of time. You only have one shot at life so you might as well enjoy it to the fullest. Do not be afraid to change course. Doing what you are really passionate about gives you a far better chance to succeed because your heart is in it.
Should any of these situations describes you, wake up and make a firm decision to change. It is never too late to make a shift from a wasted life to a productive one. NOW is the best time to do it and live the rest of your life happily. Good luck!