It’s a Sunday morning and I’ve just finished my coffee and a bowl of cereal. I’m considering my options for the day, as I catch up on my favorite blogs. My original intention was to do nothing (besides laundry) after a busy week + weekend of work. In true PP fashion though, I’ve been making a mental list of all of the things I could do — play tennis, clean out that closet, go to the gym, sit by the river and read. That list goes on and on.

I keep sitting and reading, thinking that any moment I’ll be encouraged to get up from the couch. The “last” post I’ll read before taking a bath is this one, an interview with out-of-the-ordinary questions, not your typical who/what/where kind of stuff.

After reading through the questions and answers, I begin to think a little introspectively. (Again, classic PP.) I ponder how I’d answer those questions. How would my friends answer those questions? Strangers that I admire or respect?

It caused me to think harder about those bold, outstanding moments in life. What are those specific moments in time that we’ll never forget? What are those stories and experiences that we’ll recount for years to come?

I often think about my daily decisions in terms of how they’ll contribute to the whole. Will this thing, task, or event contribute to my life story in some way? Will it open doors for other opportunities or provide a story worth telling when I’m 80? Of course, not all experiences can (or should) be momentous, spectacular events that you speak of for years to come. Yet, is there a way to make this day one of those days?

I thought more about what I’ve done so far in life. Overall, I’m happy with the story lines I’ve created. Compared to some, I’ve missed a lot of opportunities and yet compared to most, I’ve already done so much. For the most part, I’ve lived my life with an emphasis on never regretting not doing something. I’ve tried new things, explored new places, and taken my fair share of risks.

And then, somewhere along the last year or so, I slowed down a bit. I began thinking harder about my decisions, often disregarding my instincts and many times, playing it safe. I lost a little bit of my exploratory spirit for a bit and instead placed emphasis on safety and predictability. This isn’t a bad thing, of course. We all go through different phases at different times. We’ll be a little more this or a little more that as we go through certain stages of our lives. That’s the beauty of it really.

Nonetheless, as I read this interview with it’s interesting questions, I remembered how much I value experiences. I remembered how much I want to lead an interesting life. I remembered how badly I long to truly experience life. So therefore, I am choosing for this season to listen to every song as if I’ll need to recount it for an interview soon. I’ll take trips and find new things locally, as if I’ll get to share that experience with someone the next day. I’ll focus on making memories, some that’ll eventually pass away and others that’ll hang around forever. I am so incredibly thankful for this perspective on life. This unwavering understanding of its fleeting nature and it’s uncertainty. I am thankful for understanding these things to be so true that I work hard to not put off things for tomorrow. I work on seizing opportunities today, for I know I’m not promised a future in which to finally chase my dreams.

What would you say if you were interviewed today? What stories would you tell? What exciting adventures do you remember? If you struggle to think of things, that’s okay. Use today to add a new chapter to your book. Use today to do something spectacular, something just for you. Use today to make a memory you could talk about in an interview.

“For what it’s worth: it’s never too late to be whoever you want to be. I hope you live a life you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.” -F. Scott Fitzgerald

P.S. I was just interviewed as part of the Meet Monroe series at jackiedaily.com if you want to check that out!