As we are close to the end of this year, we tend to think about our accomplishments, successes, failures, and both happy and sad moments. It’s funny how some days and memories are highlighted more while we can’t even remember certain days and minutes of life. But If I asked you what would be the riskiest thing you’ve done in the past 7 days, what would you say? We wake up every morning, get coffee, go to work, come home repeating the process day in and day out. Meanwhile, we wait desperately for evening drinks with friends, the weekend, or maybe a long awaited vacation. Sometimes, it gets hard to stay motivated and find the purpose in the day to day. After all, with all the small or big problems we have in our lives who has time for more challenge or to take risks? It’s like we are always waiting. The mentality behind this is that we are waiting for something better in the future, something different from what we have right now. We remain hopeful and sometimes stay still and wish for better days ahead. Some of us may even work hard for that defined goal in the unknown future. We escape the present in hopes for something better in a future that is never promised. The older I get the more I realize that the best doesn’t always come. All We’ve got is right here, right now.  It’s time to stop using the future to escape the present.  

There comes a point in any journey where you ask yourself, Why should I go through with all this? What am I doing this for? Why go through this pain and die in the end anyway? But remembering that you are going to die no matter what is the reason you should keep pushing it, keep moving forward. You have nothing to lose. Don’t ever let the drive inside you die. When doubting yourself and doubting the journey, when you’re ready to give it all up, remember why you started in the first place! So stop wishing, analyzing, planning and doubting yourself, and just do it. Get up right now and make it count. Stop waiting for the perfect time or the weekend or next year and wasting your time on waiting for the “future” because there is no future. All you have is what’s happening right here, right now good or bad. 2016 was an unbelievable year with a lot of highs and lows. Thanks to everyone who made me laugh, cry, feel loved and challenged, as well as people who made me appreciate the richness of relationships in life. It’s time to leave past in the past and celebrate every day of 2017 as hard as we celebrate the new year, because every day we live deserves the same attention and dedication! I wish everyone the best year yet! IMAGE CREDIT: Dallas Art Fair 2016