As it happens– we do decide the quality of our life. We decide it with the everyday choices we make. I heard someone say that our lives 5 years from now are a reflection of the things we do today. So, essentially choose well if you want to live well.
As I look back in my life I can clearly see where my everyday choices led me to the here and now. How none of the choices I made were a reflection of where I wanted to be. I didn’t pay my bills on time, I never kept a job, I never walked that 15 minutes a day. Every choice the opposite of what I wanted.
5 years ago feels so far away but whether we’re talking the past or the future it’s actually extremely close. A person can be unrecognizable in that time. I’m not just talking physically but their whole outlook on life and personality could drastically change. So much can transpire in that time.
For example, in 2021 I was happy. I was living in Georgia rebuilding a relationship with my father after a lifetime of disconnect. My marriage felt solid, being a stay at home mom was something we could finally afford and I was enjoying the time with my kids. I had extra spending money that I could use on my interests and hobbies. 2021 felt GOOD. But, there were no goals in 2021. Just living in the moment. Going out to eat several times a week. Always shopping on Amazon and traveling.
I knew in my mind that I wanted to buy a house in Georgia but, my everyday choices never reflected that. I never used my extra money to clear up my terrible credit or save for a house. Establishing work history wasn’t even a thought. Having a side hustle to try to save up the money faster didn’t occur to me either. There was nothing in my life I was doing to reflect what I wanted. And 5 years down the line guess what… I don’t own a house. But if I tucked away at least $1000 of the dollars I was wasting each month I would have definitely had a nice cushy amount of money saved for a down payment. Or at the very least had paid off all my debt.
Instead, I just have the same ol debt piling up with new debts. I’m paying several hundred dollars more in rent and utilities. The worst part is even though the bills grew the income didn’t. And if you really want to know about how I feel in 2026 it damn sure isn’t GOOD.
So much has transpired.
In 2021 I had my sister, my brother, my nephew.
In 2026 I do not.
I am changed.
And when I look back on this 5 years from now I don’t want to wish I made better everyday choices, I want to be thankful that I did.
See ya next time