If I were to ask you what matters most in your life what would those be? Here’s my take.

Focus on what really matters because time is even more than gold, it’s all there is.

Living a life necessitates much needed commodities and I’m not speaking of the basic ones, I’m speaking of those that really matter in the end.

After my bout with cancer it kind of led me to think about the things that didn’t really matter to me, needless to say that you don’t have to have cancer or be stricken by a tragedy in life to realize this. I got to think about those commitments I wasn’t so passionate about keeping, those that left me feeling flat and unfulfilled. Sometimes it comes to a point where I know that something is missing but I couldn’t pinpoint what it was or is.

I started to question so much about life. I got frustrated with the thought that even at my age I still wanted to do much, but hey that’s what living is all about, you find yourself weighing what you thought you wanted versus the ones you actually wanted. I began to question what I was really seeking, if the path I was taking would get me to where I wanted to be, if the people that surrounded me can support me emotionally along the way. I began to question my own definition of success.

I have attached a poem written by Michael Josephson which I hope you’ll take the time to read.

Well with all these thoughts in my mind it kind of led me to four major “must-haves” in life which for me are really priceless. A run down on four things that matters –

Finding one’s purpose

Purpose answers the whys we have in life. Purpose gives us focus. Purpose is our driver, without it our passion will feel like running around like a headless chicken. And that’s what we have to stay in tuned for always. All of us have a purpose, we just need to tap that from within, the paths that lead you to it may be tough but once you get the hang of it, the possibilities will be endless. This “why” will keep us going when life gets rough and tough.

Our why gives life extra meaning and richness. It’s that timeless question of “What do you wake up for in the morning?”, “What drives you to do the simplest things each day?”

Appreciate time

One day is made of up twenty four hours, one hour is made up of sixty minutes, and one minute is made up of sixty seconds; we all know the math but does it matter? The numbers don’t but what really matters is how we use these numbers to fill up the purpose we have set in life.

We all carry obligations and responsibilities on our shoulders but this is where choice comes in and balance or some form of equilibrium that will avoid all of us to reach the tipping point. Know that seeking support doesn’t make you less of a human, you can’t do everything alone but you can with a little help.

Health is wealth

It’s funny when I took this for granted, really the greatest regret of my life as a doctor.

We neglect exercise, proper food, enough sleep and the like; we find a lot of excuses and fail to see the possible consequences. I won’t preach anymore I’m pretty sure you know what I’m talking about, it’s just a matter of turning these to-dos into actions.

Embrace the fact that we need to be not only physically kinder on ourselves but mentally too. Our physical bodies were made to move, and not slumped down for more than eight hours in a desk. Our minds, on the other hand, were made to breathe too, in other words, start decluttering it and start prioritizing just so you don’t get too overwhelmed.

Value relationships

Relationships makes us feel connected, reminds us of being grounded. We need to embrace the fact that we’re not born to live alone. Our family and friends are people that matter, don’t again allow time to be the biggest regret before you put effort on them.

Relationships are to be nurtured and they deserve the love and attention they can get.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident. It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice. Choose to live a life that matters. – Michael Josephson

And so there you go with those seemingly simple things that matter but they really bear the heaviest ones in living our lives with much purpose and fulfillment. Never forget that.