Throughout my life, many events have happened that reminded me just how incredibly short and uncertain our time here on this earth can be. But nothing compared to what I experienced two years ago.

Two years ago I lost a very good friend of mine and like many of us who have lost loved ones know, it can be a hard, brick-size hit. At the age of 48 Kelly was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and within a mere week, my Kelly was gone! There was no time to get use to the fact that she may be fighting a losing battle, she did not get any time to fight! In the twinkling of an eye she was just gone! You see Kelly was young, and vibrant, and full of hope and dreams. She epitomizes the perfect daughter, sister, mother, auntie, cousin, friend, wife anyone would dream of having. And I was blessed to be a part of her life. But her death changed me. Her death has placed an urgency in me to not waste a minute on frivolous things! To not remain focused on the things I cannot control! To be slow to anger and swift to forgive! To spread love wherever I go and make a difference in other’s lives! To stop and smell as many roses as I can possibly smell! To get out there and live out so loud that my very being becomes prolific! To live every second, every minute, every hour, every day, every moment, as if it’s my very last moment. Her life was a gift that I expected to have for a long, long time, but it was taken.

But you know what I can tell you! I can tell you that Kelly lived her dream. She wanted to be a doctor, she did that! She wanted to travel the world, she did that! She wanted a huge white house with a picket fence, she got that! She wanted a caring, compassionate, loving husband, she got that too! She wanted beautiful, healthy children, she got that too! She wanted to swim everyday, she had a pool in her own yard! She wanted to play tennis everyday, she had her very own tennis court on her property! She wanted great friends, she so had that! She has lived! She lived her life just the way she wanted, on her own terms. And so in mourning Kelly, I remind myself of what Kelly would want me to do now, which is live today like there is no tomorrow which was her actual motto. And that’s what I do every day, and I encourage you to do the same.

All our life designs are different! Everyone’s life design ain’t gon’ look the same way. We may have the same desires to love and be loved, to appreciate and be appreciated, to respect and be respected, to give and be given, to forgive and be forgiven, to teach and be taught, to listen and be listened to, to value and be valued…and the list goes on and on; however, when it comes to tangibles we all have varying likes, dislikes, preferences for different things and may also go about getting them using varying methods. But whatever you want your lifestyle to be, design it, actualize it, and live it. Not tomorrow, not next week, not next month and not next year. Design it now! Now is what you have! Now is what is sure! Don’t leave your lifestyle to chances, it’s too important for that. Design it and live it just the way you want it. And let no-one hinder you or tell you you can’t, because YOU CAN.

Believe in yourself more than anybody else. Shut down those negative thoughts of you being crazy for thinking you can actually accomplish that feat! Of you being out of your league for dreaming so big! Shut them down with positive opposing views and refocus on what you want to accomplish. Start affirming that you are worth it. You are capable. You got this! Design Your Dream Lifestyle, create a plan of attack, and start executing.

Allow yourself the privilege of being one of the few who can look back on their life later and say I’ve lived. I did the damn thing!

So go ahead and get started on designing and actualizing your desired lifestyle, but please bookmark this page and come back here to let me know how you are progressing and how this information may have helped you. Also, please like/follow/share/comment on our social media platforms and blog. There may be someone just like you who needs to hear this message today. And finally, feel free to get your copy of this FREE workbook I’ve created to help with designing and actualizing your dream lifestyle.

Until then!

Xo,