Hey you, yeah, you. Wake up.
You’re alive.
A cheesy quote I’ve lived by since I was too young to do much of anything is “Most people just exist, living is truly special.” Most people know this quote, but almost no one actually embodies it.
I don’t know who needed that reminder, but I’m confident it landed somewhere.
People think the most meaningful parts of life are the big moments, the bucket-list trips, the once-in-a-lifetime stuff. And sure, I’ve done some wild shit. I’ve hiked an active volcano and visited places most people don’t even know exist.
But that’s not what sticks with me.
What actually makes life feel full are the tiny, throwaway moments:
Staying up too late on a weeknight with a friend you haven’t seen in years.
Eating pasta way too many times in a week.
Having “just one more” on your favorite back porch.
Extending a trip by a day even though it’s way over budget.
The moments you barely remember… that somehow become the ones you never forget.
That’s the good shit.
Because life is busy.
Careers, pets, houses, weddings, errands, kids, plans on plans on plans.
Most of adulthood is scheduled, structured, and laid out. Who knew how hard it was to pick dinner every night?
Which is exactly why you need room for serendipity.
The unplanned moments.
The random detours.
The little collisions with joy that only happen when you leave space for them.
Last week, flying home from Thanksgiving, all I wanted was to board the plane and pass out. Then I saw one of my childhood best friends sitting at a bar in the airport.
Of course I pulled out the reserve battery and went to hang out.
That hour wasn’t convenient, but it was worth it.
Those little moments always are.
The point is: if you’re not careful, your whole life becomes one long to-do list. And at the end, all you did was “stay on top of things.” Congrats… you survived your calendar. But did you live?
Someone asked me recently, “What are you gonna do if you retire at 35?”
My answer: Live life.
I’ve got a list a mile long of things I want to learn, people I want to meet, and places I want to see. But I’m not waiting until I hit my arbitrary goal. I’m checking things off now, not daily, not perfectly, not on a schedule, but consistently.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
Don’t just grind forever.
Enjoy the day-to-day.
Live a life that gives you stories.
Awe is one of the most underrated human emotions.
Seek it.
Chase it.
Notice it.
Don’t be the person with nothing to tell your grandkids.
Be the one they roll their eyes at because you’re telling your favorite inappropriate story from your twenties again.
Laugh more. Cry more. Love more.
Do some dumb shit while you’re young so you’ve got something to smile about when you’re old.
Don’t let society pigeonhole you into a life you don’t want.
Build your own.
Stay curious.
Spend time with people who make you feel alive.
And save some money too. Compound interest is magic. You’re still allowed to be responsible while you’re out here living.
In the end, the goal isn’t to escape being busy.
It’s to be busy with a life you actually want.
So live.
Do more.
Enjoy the little things.
Go build the life you want to be busy in.
-Mack