Get busy living or get busy dying

Wow! What a great morning...and what a great morning for a run!

So, I went for a run this morning (another 5 miles...see I'm trying) and had just reached that point where running turns into something deeper for me, when a phrase popped into my head...Get busy living or get busy dying. It comes from a line in the movie The Shawshank Redemption. Andy is talking about having hope and says to Red, "I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living or get busy dying."

I pondered this phrase and let it roll around my head a bit until I came to a realization. I think that I haven't been very busy living for a while. It seems that everything I do lately, I do tentatively with a slow moving, wait and see attitude that has me feeling that life is passing me by. Always afraid that I am attempting something I can't handle or making bad choices that will ruin my life. I get fired up about something and try to make some real progress towards my goals only to retreat when the voices in my head start feeding me these negative thoughts: You don't... You won't... You can't... What if...

Well, I think it is time to make some changes. To just throw myself into whatever I attempt and give it my all. If it becomes clear that I made a bad choice, I will choose anew and carry on. If I find myself moving away from my goals, I will change course and get back on track. If my goals change, I can reevaluate and adjust accordingly. The important thing is to be alive, full of life, and fully participating in my life. To follow my heart and hopes and dreams toward the fulfillment of the purpose of my life.

It's time to tell the voices that I hear them, but they have no power over me.

It's time to dive headlong into whatever I do, damn the consequences.

It's time to get busy living.

It's TIME!