Choosing to Live Consciously

Oprah Winfrey once said, “Living in the moment means letting go of the past and not waiting for the future. It means living your life consciously, aware that each moment you breathe is a gift.” In life, it is easy to let time slip away from us as we hustle from one activity to the next; life so easily can become a blur. We forget that there is an evident difference between being present and participating full-heartedly in the activities we do, work we finish, and relationships we build.  

My entire high school career was like this: a blur. Some might say that time flies when you’re having fun, which I would like to believe is true; however, fun meant constantly rushing from one activity to another.  I never was truly focused on what I was doing, and although it’s hard for me to admit, I was not giving my best to everyone around me.

I would often come home from events and wonder, what just happened? How was the event I anticipated for weeks, months, or even years already over and I barely remembered it, let alone enjoyed it? Often, the answer can be found in Oprah’s quote. I was not aware of each moment and I was not living consciously. Instead, I was going through the motions, not participating full-heartedly in whatever had come my way.

For example, the football games I cheered, marched, and danced at on Friday nights came and went just like a lot of other events. Although now looking back, a couple things stuck with me from those Friday nights:

1.    The muscle memory of every cheerleading cheer, marching band performance, and dance routine I have ever done.

2.    The realization that if I had participated with a full heart in these events I would have a lot more to remember than the cheers, performances, and routines I had done.

Sometimes we become so wrapped up in what we are doing we often forget the purpose in which we are actually doing them. For me, I forgot why I first became a cheerleader, band member, and dancer. I forgot how much FUN these activities were!  

With that said, I challenge all of you to not just go through the motions but to participate with a full heart in everything you do. Give 110%, be passionate about what you are doing and don’t forget why you are doing it in the first place. The fun you are having is in the now, but the memories you are creating will last a lifetime.

I believe Coach Eric Taylor said it best in the hit TV series Friday Night Lights, “Clear eyes, FULL HEARTS, can’t lose.” If we focus on the now and participate with a full heart, giving everything and everyone our best, WE WILL win every time!

Rachel Zumbach

Northeast State Vice-President