Most People Think a Vacation Will Fix This

When you need a vacation, you might need a new life instead. “Who’s excited to go back to Chicago?” Ry asked as we sipped our Starbucks at the Tampa airport gate.

Spoiler alert: no one was excited.

Well, the kids were excited to see their cat.

“This just feels so wrong!” I blurted out. I couldn’t help it.

“We’re coming back from vacation.”

"Why does it have to feel so shitty?"

A vacation will only make you feel better for a little while. Kinda like that piece of chocolate cake.

I want to live the kind of life I don’t need a vacation from. Is that a pipe dream? Is it possible?

Can I find the kind of enjoyment I find in vacation in everyday life?

Can I do this in my current job?

Can I do this where I live right now?

If you went through these questions and the answer was no, no, no. Will this turn into a life of: “When I [do the thing, get the job, the money,], I can enjoy my life.

Well, what If you don’t?

Memento mori.

Memento mori is Latin for remembering death.

It's not meant to be morbid or scary. A simple reminder to remember. Kind of like remembering the milk.

What if I die?

Well, this is not really an "if" question. It's a when. Last I checked the death rate was hovering right around 100%.

I’m not suggesting we live our lives in a way that we live with reckless abandon, quit our jobs and stay home watching soap operas and drinking a bottle of wine all by yourself. [I totally won't judge if you do].

What I am suggesting, is you show up. Fully, completely, balls-out, SHOW UP.

This is damn hard. Try 5 minutes. Show up for 5 minutes of your day. See if you can find just an inkling of "okay, this is cool" in those shitty moments.

Standing in line.

Annoyed by a lame customer service rep.

When the waiter brings you regular pasta when you asked for gluten-free.

If you think about the end of your life, how will this change this very, agitated, hair-pulling moment?

How will you memento mori today?