Preface: On a recent trip abroad, a surprising yet everyday occurring event happened on the airplane. It was one of those things that makes you reevaluate your life. I wondered if I was living my life to the fullest. Was I taking enough chances or playing the game of life too safe? Either way I knew I had to change because everyday is a blessing that should be taken full advantage of.

Waking up each day, what is the first thing you do? Probably make sure everyone in the house is up and ready for work and school. Now that summer vacation is over, we must get back to the daily grind. Wake up, make sure the kids are all set, make lunch, do the school drop off, go to work, pick the kids up, make dinner, do homework and repeat the same scenario the next couple of days. Although having a routine is great, sometimes you need to switch things up a bit. Here are a few different ways that you can live your life to the fullest without having to sacrifice your responsibilities.

1. Schedule some one on one fun time. If you have more than one child, sometimes putting aside an hour once a week with each child can make a difference. This will let them know that you are making additional time for them and allows you to make special memories together. Why not go out for ice cream one night or take a walk through a nice park. Something out of the ordinary that feels special but won’t break the bank.
2. Take a road trip once a month. It doesn’t have to be far, or even an overnighter. It just must be somewhere that isn’t a part of your norm. You can visit a new exhibit at a museum or perhaps head down to that shore town you haven’t been able to visit during the summer. Either way it should be something fun and special.
3. Plan that once in a lifetime trip. I have been planning a trip to Greece since I was a freshman in college. I always said I was going to go once I finished university. The way I see it is that I’m either going to continue with my PhD or I need to find a tour company that goes to Santorini because it’s been on the backburner for over 15 years.
4. Have that special meal. I’m not insinuating that you should go out to a fancy restaurant but rather eat something that is special to you. When I came back from Spain all I could think about were the tapas. I wanted to eat croquetas de jamon and their crusty bread with olive oil every day. Since that is not possible, I decided that I will make myself a special meal once a week to remember the trip by. It may not always be Spanish food, but it will always be related to a trip I went on.
5. “Forget” to do something. Sometimes you just need a bit of free time so you may have to accidentally “forget” something. It could be something small like forgetting to bring your offertory envelope to church (because let’s just face it, using Parish Giving is easier than remembering), or maybe “forget” about your workout after work one day and spend a little extra time with those who are special to you.

I’m going to remember to live life to the fullest from now on. More trips. More food. More adventures. And less wondering “what if”. Are you with me?