Is Life is Too Short? A New Year's Reflection

I've only made one New Year's Resolution in my life... the wife and I decided, starting in 2014, we were committing to happiness.  Simply put, we were going to do the things that made us happy with the people who made us happy, following the principles we believed in.  No more negativity or caring about things that didn't matter.  Two years later, its been a phenomenal success.

Over the years, MoJo and I have had quite a few philosophical conversations about our perception of the world and human kind.  Could be the shared loved of Freakonomics, the way our chosen professions illicit such thoughts, or the fact we typically have these conversations over one-too-few coffees or one-too-many drinks.   It occurred to us a couple months back we have made changes in our lives that have made us both extremely content, happy, and satisfied living lives while having exposure to a part of the world that can be chaotic, frustrating, scary, depressing, and downright maddening at times.

We have found great joy and peace in our lives, and we wanted to share some of the beliefs and actions we take to make that happen.  Some of these may seem sort of silly, most are serious, but we assure you they all play a role in a meaningful way.  We hope you will be compelled to share some of what you do to help find joy in the comments section, so we can potentially add those to our lives.

LB - Life is too short to appreciate how much happiness the littlest moments in life bring you.  A quick list for me from this fall:  seeing ARG get on the bus to school for this first time (I swore I would bawl my eyes out, but after seeing how excited and happy she was, I just beamed.  I was so proud of her); Halloween was on a beautiful fall Saturday, and we spent it trick or treating with friends, then an after party with a bonfire with them at our place; the wife spends Black Friday with her mom, but the kids and I took advantage of a gorgeous, 65 degree day to hit the park, play outside, and decorate the house for Christmas.

LB - Life is too short not to know who of your friends can legally carry government issued weapons.  Why, you ask?  ARG was not only proud of her bus ride, but proud to tell me about her first boyfriend a few weeks ago.  As I mentioned in the leadership post, it's good to know people in high places.  Especially when those high places allow them to carry big guns.  And get us seats like this to Army/Navy..

We - Life is too short to drink cheap booze.  We are aware we are not nearly the first to say this, but, much like "f**ing mustard" is the proper condiment for chili fries, sometimes stating the obvious is important, e.g., "I love you" and "maybe I should think about this for a second..."

LB - Life is too short not to truly celebrate life's big events.  Four of our closest friends had babies this year, including 3 LB regulars (Fah, J.B., and Boing), plus someone who was in our wedding, and MoJo here, along with his beautiful wife (he did not pay me to write that), will be welcoming their 3rd this spring.  Three friends got engaged, including the Dawg, where I will have the honor of standing up with him, and a pseudo-cousin where our kids will be standing up in the wedding.  It's truly a blessing to be a part of these events, and we should take the time to recognize that.

MoJo: Life is too short blow off a birthday.  It may not be the best day for a large celebration of life, but the small celebrations are meaningful, too.  Keep in mind, there are a finite amount...and you have no idea how many that is.  (LB Note - Guilty as charged.  Never loved my birthday, not cause I'm a birthday hater, just don't always like the attention.  However, after getting MoJo's draft, I immediately emailed the person in our office who decorates our offices waaaaay over the top for our birthdays.  Needless to say, she was thrilled, and I felt a lot better after.  See, I told you these conversations lead to change...)

Go Green!

LB - On the flip side, life is too short to let little things bother you.  Even that Michigan loss to Michigan State.  Yeah, my stomach still hurt the next day.  But after playing with my kids, having the Sunday talk with my parents, and generally just having a good Sunday, I felt better.  And I feel really happy for all my Sparty friends, who have a look at the title, even though that's a dead Alabama line and giving Saban a month to prepare is a bad thing.  Besides, as Michigan fans...

We - Life is too short not to be thankful for Coach Harbaugh.  Every day.  Just like this guy is. 

Love

LB - Life is too short not to tell people you love, but don't really think to do it, that you love them.  I'm not talking about family, I'm talking about the people who may as well be family.  Trust me, when you start doing this, it will mean something to them and you.  You will feel it in the depth of your heart.  I promise.

MoJo: Life is too short skip bachelor parties. Work, home improvement, chores, and other such things will always be there. Your chance to be young with those you have grown old with will not.  (MoJo note - good timing for that one above :P).  (LB Note - we may or may not have one more epic bachelor party in a mansion on the water in St. Petersburg, FL next year.  This might actually be the year someone misses the flight home).

LB - Life is too short not to take a walk by yourself every now and again.  With or without iPod or phone.  But preferably without.  (When I told him this one, I found out Mojo does this frequently. amazing what you learn in trading two or three emails with someone about something serious.)

Calzone!!!

LB - Life is too short not to eat what you want, when you want, sometimes.  Right, Fah?

LB - Life is too short not to make the world a better place.  Whether it be through your job, volunteering, or raising awareness to causes, do something.  Anything.  For me and the wife, its Team RWB and veteran awareness, Rett Syndrome, Autism Awareness, and Cystic Fibrosis.  Our lives have been touched by all of these in some way, which makes it all the more meaningful.  

MoJo and I are both worms

LB - Life is too short to not read a physical book.  Just like planting a garden teaches our kids that food comes from the Earth, reading a books shows them that imagination and words come from human creativity and a pen.

MoJo: Life is too short watch TV that focuses on how negative humans can be.  Reality shows that have groups live together only to film them fight or be mean, shows that make two people fall in love by the end of the season, or anything Karadashian-related.  Watch a show about people helping others or something...anything but that stuff.  (LB would have cursed there...)

LB - Life is too short to hate someone you don't know and have never met simply for arbitrary reasons.

MoJo: Life is too short not to forgive. The greatest opportunities lie in the relationships we have; not the ones we let slip away.

LB - Life is too short not to use that easy segway into taking a minute to thank MoJo for all of his help in the relaunch of Logical Betting.  Even when he's not actually writing for us, he's always lending an ear on ideas for posts.  The blog is better than ever, in no small part to his efforts.  Thanks, brother.  Love ya.

We - Life is too short to believe that life actually is too short.  All of these things we listed?  We could literally do these every single day.  Nothing is stopping us.  We have so much time in our lives to do many great things.  We take life for granted at times, moving too fast, not appreciating life itself... it can be done so simply by slowing down, remembering what matters most to us, and committing our mind, bodies, and souls to those things.  It is where we find our joy.  It is where we find our meaning.  It is where we find our true selves.  

"In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make."  -- Sir Paul McCartney

From MoJo, myself, and everyone else who is a part of the LB family, we wish you and your families a happy and blessed 2016.  See you when we see you.  Hasta.