Make Now Count: How to Live a Fun Life Full of Possibilities

First, I am really glad your daughter is OK 🙂

Second, bucket list, huh? I guess I have something *like* one of them (though I'm quite young; does that make a difference?)… It's really thanks to a very good friend of mine who encourages me to push myself; she is very dear to me partly due to that. So far it's complete my degree (it was on hold), learn to drive, take up rock climbing, learn to fly, travel and… it's getting longer! I'm catching up slowly and taking notes 😉 Just live a little more, I guess 🙂

I got the silliness down, it is a great thing to do 🙂

Cool blog, Harriet.

Wow Harriet, I had no idea…of alot of things…If it's at all possible…you have left me speechless. I am proud to be acquainted with such a talented, insightful woman. I love your well thought out beautiful writing style. Good for you…blog away, girl, blog away!! It's a great one!

I've always said you live your life in a way that many of us only dream of….having regrets for the many things we did not do during our numbered days will never be your legacy!

I would love to. I retweet you and send you to about thirty people a day. I also have you on my blogroll on my own site. I can't send you a direct message as I don't have a place to send it. If you follow me at TraceyJackson4 on Twitter I can send you my idea. Or you can friend me on FB or just sent me a place to email you through my email tracey@traceyjacksononline.com.
I am beyond honored.

Awesome post, specially about making time for play. thats key!

Each time I read or hear about what you went through with Navie and the true miracle of her recovery, it strikes deeper within me. Your guidelines for creating good are magnificant. It is wonderful to know someone who lives by what they know to be their truth. Keep spreading the word. For some of us who are slow learners we need to hear things many many times. So proud of you, Harriet.

Excellent post. Liked the read!
“Have fun in what you do every day and do it well !!”

Make Now Count: How to Live a Fun Life Full of Possibilities

Editor’s Note: This is a contribution by Harriet Cabelly

“Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.” ~Unknown

My daughter Nava suffered a medical crisis and was hospitalized for
one year. She was in a drug-induced paralyzed coma on a ventilator for
three months, teetering on the seesaw of life and death; however, much
closer to the death side.

Miraculously surviving, she moved on to a rehab hospital for the next
nine months where she had to relearn each and every body and
motor function. Two miracles occurred: one, she survived; and two, she
had a complete recovery, with her life back as before.

Because I have my daughter back, whole and intact, I feel like I’ve been given a second lease on life.

I live my life with zest, fervor and a sense of urgency. There’s
nothing like bearing witness to the fragility of life to make one
live better.

Despite the pain, hardship, adversity and challenges that life dishes out, we have to find and create the good.

1. Find ways to do.

It’s always easier to come up with ways not to do. They’re called excuses. Create a to-do mind-set and the walls will start tumbling down.

We wanted to go see the Macy’s fireworks on July 4th. It would’ve
been so easy to say no and stay home and watch it on TV. It required
driving into the city, taking a train, walking a whole lot and then
taking a train or ferry back at midnight and driving back home from the
city.

That’s a lot of traveling for a half hour of fireworks. But we
decided to make a night’s adventure out of it. We had dinner in the
city (after finding a great parking spot). Then we took the Path train
into New Jersey and felt like total tourists, as we had never taken
it before.

We met up with a walking group and walked three miles along the
Hudson till we got to our viewing spot. We had a great view of the
fireworks—right in front of one of the barges from which the fireworks
were set off. It was as if it was coming right at us.

We then made our way, along with the crowds, to a trolley type of
train, at which point the train people said we can all get on for free
so everyone can get home. How often does that happen?

We decided to take the ferry back to NYC. Why take the train when we
could take a beautiful ferry ride late at night and see the city lit up
while the water breeze cooled us off from the hot humid day? Again, a
first for us—we’ve never taken a ferry into the dark waters of the
Hudson.

A brisk walk, along with hoards of people and cops, in the streets of
Manhattan, brought us back to our car. What a fabulous night out on
the town!! And much of it was in the journey.

2. Allow for fun and silliness. It’s freeing.

My husband and I did a Patch Adams clowning trip to Italy. The only
requirement was to wear a costume and be silly. This certainly
challenged my shy side as I stretched myself to pull people in to dance
in a Sicilian square.

The smiles on people’s faces in the hospitals, hospices, orphanages
and other such places as we blew bubbles, spoke to them, and handed out
Yankees caps was worth a million. No, it’s not my new career, but it
did open me up more to myself and others.

3. Seek out opportunities to do good; don’t wait to be asked. It feels good to extend yourself.

I must admit my mother was my main teacher of this one. But I only
really started recognizing it and acting upon it after my daughter’s
illness. I looked and continue to seek out meaningful acts, both big
and small.

From talking to a homeless person
about his life while breaking bread to fostering a yellow lab that went
on to become a service dog to a boy with cerebral palsy, the feeling
is exuberant.

4. There’s always time for work. Make time for play—and play hard.

We can’t wait to have time for play.
We have to build it in. If I know I have a hectic day of work ahead of
me, I will set aside even a half hour for something playful–a walk at
night, or something else that brings me joy and pleasure.

If I have to take my daughter to one of her activities, I turn my
waiting time into fun time. Just last week, we took her into the city
for a social event. Instead of groaning about schlepping into the city,
we grabbed a 30 minute kayak ride on the Hudson River (Free kayaking
from the parks department!)

It’s all in what you make of it. Make it good.

5. Pursue interests and passions. It keeps you feeling excited and alive.

Take that class you always wanted to take. Build it into your life.
It’s about priorities. Ballroom dancing has been on my “bucket list”
for many years. I don’t wait anymore and I don’t put things off. So I
found a class right in my own backyard.

I wanted to take a mindfulness
course which I found in the city. That became part of my schedule for
eight weeks. I made my travels into the city after work a leisure
activity.

Go for it; the time is now.

Harriet Cabelly is a social worker and life coach emphasizing
living life to its fullest and creating a good life out of (or despite)
adversity. Read more about her at http://www.harrietcabelly.com.
Photo by na_tascha