There is a quote I’m currently obsessed with. It comes from the promotional tour the cast of the movie The Life of Chuck did recently (it’s one of my favourite films of recent years – I referenced it in a post last month (link here) and will no doubt devote an entire post to it soon). The wonderful Tom Hiddleston says:

One might imagine it’s easy to feel reduced by life. “Oh, I’m just the job I do.” or “I’m just the role I have in the family.” No-one is one thing.

That really struck a chord. I have the video saved and watch it every day. It’s only 1 minute 39 seconds long and contains many other nuggets of wisdom, though it’s that quote which gets me the most, every single day. Clearly, work and family life are two vitally important areas of most of our lives, yet they’re not the only important areas. It is easy to forget that; to fall into a default mode of thinking that both are all that matters in life. We get stuck in ruts. We struggle finding the time for anything other than work and family and ultimately end up drifting through life. That is so dangerous – we simply cannot let that happen.

Another quote from the Life of Chuck video is from Mark Hamill (yes – Luke Skywalker is also in the movie..). He says “Everyone has potential that is unrealised”, whilst Huddleston, in a similar vein, says “We are all full of infinite possibility”.

Wow. Just wow. I’m fully conscious this may all seem a bit woo-woo to some, in which case, no worries but you’re probably wasting your time on this blog. If that does resonate even slightly with you though, just stop and think about it for a few seconds. “Everyone has potential that is unrealised.” I know that’s certainly true of me – is it true of you? Is there anything in life you could have achieved, or could still achieve, that you haven’t? That you’ve ignored? That you’ve pushed deep down inside you because you think all that matters is the day job and family life? They don’t have to be grand ambitions – they could be relatively simple things that would make a huge difference to your life if you were just able to find the time and motivation to begin addressing them.

We need to keep that fire burning inside. We need to feel that we are truly worthwhile in this life, rather than just going through the motions. We need to live more and be much kinder to ourselves. We need to find more, do more, be more,

For me, that means honing in on many of the things I’ve previously written about in this blog. Music. Writing. Reading. Reducing the items on (and the reliance on) the to-do list. Getting fitter and healthier. Not doom-scrolling as much. Setting definite time aside each day to do the things I love. But it’s also the stuff going on inside my head – I need to be kinder to myself; to love myself a bit more than I currently do. I desperately need to ensure it’s a more frequent occurrence in my life to lay my head on the pillow at night and be content with the day I’ve had.

If any of this sounds even vaguely familiar, what does it mean for you? How can you get closer to this point? How can you live a fuller life, whatever that means to you? What lights the fire in your belly and brings you joy?

Please do try to find what truly makes you live. Focus on these things. Find the time for them (it is possible if you want it to be). Please, please, please don’t allow yourself to feel reduced by life. In the grand scheme of things, we don’t have too many trips around the sun (perhaps 80 to 90, if we’re lucky…). So many of us have so much more life to live and so much more to offer, whether that’s just to ourselves or others too.

Best wishes and take care.

Mick