Gift of a Wake-Up Call

I admit it. For much of my life, I’ve been a snoozer. I’d set my alarm early enough so I could hit the snooze button a few times before I absolutely had to get up to avoid being late. Once in a while, I still do. Old habits die hard. But now, I usually get up at the first annoying buzz. I don’t wait. 

When I was younger, it felt like I had all the time in the world to do all the things I wanted to do. If I didn’t make the time to do something that day, I could do it later. Can you relate? Time has taught me this casual approach to life is too expensive. It robs us of too much.

Life gifts us with wake-up calls all the time. When it comes to our own health, sometimes the signs are obvious. Why do I keep getting these headaches? Why won’t this rash go away? Or, God forbid, what is this lump?

The same thing can happen in other parts of our lives. Maybe someone you love gets sick or is suffering. Do you notice? If you see something is happening, do you step in to help or spend time with them?

As I was driving to the coffee shop, starting to sketch out this blog post in my mind, Tim McGraw’s “Live Like You Were Dying” came on the radio. As I sang along to every word, the irony wasn’t lost on me.

Let me back up a minute. I’ve always loved that particular song. The words are a poignant reminder to live life, every day. But I suspect another reason I love it so much is because I had the opportunity to see Tim perform it, in person, only feet from the stage, surrounded by a few thousand other women at a conference. I earned that spot, so close to the stage, pursuing an earlier dream of mine, shortly after I turned forty.

Milestone birthdays can serve as another wake-up call. Let them inspire you instead of depress you!

We are bombarded with important signs every day. When these signs or guideposts pop up too often, we may feel overwhelmed and turn a blind eye. I have come to realize two important things. First, watch for these signs and, even more importantly, act on them.

When I’ve paid attention and acted on some of the wake-up calls life has gifted to me, my life has been richer for it. On the other hand, there have been plenty of times I ignored a wake-up call. I can only imagine the opportunities I’ve missed.
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When the alarm goes off, don’t hit snooze.   

In the words of the notorious Steve Jobs:
You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

​Trust your gut, follow the signs, and get the most out of every day. Maybe even try a little Rocky Mountain climbing. I’m cheering for you. Kim