What If Today Was Your Last Day?

 A friend recently introduced me to a podcast called "Last Day." Some of the stories tug at your heart strings, others are so awful you can't imagine what these people endured in their relationships. It got me thinking about something else that we do often in my current organization, which is performance reviews. We look at them through the lens of "what things could you do this quarter to leave the organization better than you found it?"

On that same token, what if today was your last day? Whether it be your last day on earth, your last day at your current job, your last day seeing a loved one...the list goes on. If today was your last day, what would you want to leave behind? How could you make an impact on your place of employment, that person you met in the grocery store, or your kids? 

I've written a lot on this blog about some of the struggles I've had and the pieces of me that are hardest for me to love. Loving myself hasn't come easily, but I feel like I've made huge strides in that department in the last 10 months. Giving up alcohol, chasing dreams I've had since I was a kid, getting my book published, and continuing to find pursuits that bring me purpose and passion have all led to a happier, less chaotic, more authentic life in 2024 than I've ever experienced in the past.

With that authenticity, I know if today was my last day, I'd leave behind my truth, hopefully a lasting impact on my kids and those closest to me, and the message that it's never too late to live an authentic life that you are purposeful and passionate about. 

In getting to this place, I know some of the truths I wrote about in my book will be hard for some people to read. My journey hasn't been easy or free of speedbumps or pain or heartache. Some of that heartache may have been experienced differently by others who were involved. Some may not even know the depth of the hurt that certain experiences created for me. If anyone is upset or hurt by anything they read in Out of the Fog: Breaking Up with Alcohol and Living a Life of Passion and Purpose, I am truly sorry. That is not my intent. My intent is to share my truth, share my journey, and hopefully positively impact someone else's life because my story was shared. 

That's what I want to leave behind if today is my last day.

What would you want people to say if today was your last day with them?