Life. Merriam-Webster defines it as "the quality that distinguishes a vital and functional being from a dead body." I like this definition. How many of us live our lives with vitality and functionality? So often it seems we float through life, day to day, merely existing. Before we know it, life has passed us by. I've definitely been guilty of just existing. We get so stuck in routine that we often forget the bigger picture. We're so busy just getting by that we deny ourselves the simple pleasures of our existense. Living life means we actually LIVE - with intention - with passion. Does living life to the fullest mean we should live each day like it's our last? Not necessarily. Think about it. If everyone were living each day like it were their last a lot of the things that sustain our existence would come to a halt. Seriously, if you knew it was your last day would you spend that day at your job? Probably not. Instead of living each day like it's our last, maybe we should live each day to the fullest... getting the most out of every 24 time period.

How can we do this?

Well, the answer is different for everyone but I like to think it's all about living with intention, knowing what we're passionate about and making that a priority, loving and respecting those around us, and taking risks. No, I don't mean risks like spending your life savings on lottery tickets or jumping out of a plane but getting out of our comfort zone, trying new things, or doing something we normally wouldn't. Years ago I saw a Seinfeld episode where George was having a really rough time in life and decided that if everything he did failed maybe he should do the opposite of what he would normally do. While this is a little far-fetched, the idea behind it is good. There are times when doing the opposite is exactly what we need to do. You've heard the saying that insanity is doing the same thing over and over but expecting different results? Maybe we should take a risk and try the opposite. It sure beats insanity.