As a young child, I watched my mother do the same thing day in and day out; cleaning, cooking, rearing children and taking care of a husband. This, in my mind, was the only way to live. Keep the house running, food on the table and your family happy- but after a few years of doing this myself, I began to grow bored.

My lackluster life didn’t have room for spontaneity. In my mind, spontaneity was an irresponsible way to live – you must have a schedule, a plan, an order to things in order to survive. But, I was missing out on so much, until I learned how to make the most of the day.

Re-think your position on life.

I always watched my “live life to the fullest” friends in envy. They held something that I didn’t comprehend, didn’t imagine could be a lifestyle for me. But that was just it – I was so set in my ways of how life should be lived – how to get from point A to point B – that I forgot my position on life.

Life is a precious thing. Don’t take it for granted for one day it will be your last. So, if this is true, why are we spending so much time doing things that don’t matter when we could make the most of the one day we know we have?

Well, it’s easy to get caught up in the life we think we should live – donating baked goods to every bake sale or school party when we could purchase some items from a store once in a while, keeping an immaculate home that looks more like a hospital than a place where families grow and prosper or baking every meal from scratch when a pizza place is just down the road. While meeting commitments are very important, what about actually making the most of your time with the people you love?

This is the time where you must ask yourself, “do I want to create a meaningful life for my family and myself, or do I want to continue living the only way I know how?” You have to be in the driver seat of your own destiny.

Instead of beating yourself up for living a blasé life, decide how you want to live the rest of your life, beginning now.

On a piece of paper, write down all the commitments you have on a daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. Set this list aside. Next, write a mission statement for your life – for example, my mission statement is “Live each day as it were my last by allowing the people I love to know how much I love them, taking risks that may make me uncomfortable at times but will create a fuller life and doing one thing each day to make my inner-self smile.” Once you have completed your mission statement, pull out the list you wrote of your commitments and compare the two. In a matter of minutes you will see if you are actually living the way you want to, or if changes need to be made to achieve the life that you want to own.

Now, start with a clean sheet of paper and write down all the things you have always dreamed of doing. For example, my list contained items such as bungee jumping, visiting Europe, creating art, becoming a published writer and so on. These items are things you have always dreamed about – no matter how little or big – but haven’t found the time, courage, or both, to do. Include your family and friends in this list as well, such as having a girl’s weekend at a secluded getaway location, monthly picnics with the kids, flying kites and so on.

Once you have completed your list, you are set to spice up your life by adding spontaneity to the mix.

As long as you take a breath, your life will follow you.

Before you jump off that cliff, let me further convince you of how to live for the day (I am sure you are still skeptical on making such a life change).

Upon rising from bed in the morning, you already have your list of things to do in your mind – send the kids to school, get groceries, pay the bills, etc. All of these responsibilities are necessary to live your life. Education, home management, extra curricular activities – these are all things our family members and ourselves must do in order to become a part of who we want to be. But, these things aren’t the only important aspects of life. Appreciating the gift of life by taking steps to be the person we envisioned ourselves to be when we were younger are also very important to our well-being.

You see, when we were younger we had an imagination that soared. In our minds, we could be anything we wanted to be, and what a great feeling that was, right? But, somehow, along the way of adulthood, we forced ourselves into our own corners. “I can’t do that because I have kids,” or “I have to live with who I am today, there is no going back,” aren’t acceptable, but apparently has become the norm.

Revisit those childhood dreams and actually work to make them come true. Yes, you can balance the day to day responsibilities and work on becoming a different person at the same time – it just takes that drive, that motivation that we felt so many years ago.

And one more thing, living for the day not only makes you feel special, unique and happy – it shows your loved ones, especially your children, that, yes, you can be who you want right now, because “next year” may never come. Show them what matters most in life.

So, don’t get stuck in a closed-minded blur, you can be 50 but still act 18 at heart. What are you waiting for?

How to act spontaneously.

If you are anything like me, you will have to teach yourself to be spontaneous. And, boy, it can be hard at first.

Before you wake the whole family up and force them into the car for a spur of the moment bird watching trip, you do have consider the other responsibilities that everyone has for the day. But, there are many days where an hour or two can be utilized for something new, fun and inspiring.

Taking baby steps to living life spontaneously can be a great way to get your feet wet without losing your mind. Keep an eye out for those few hours of free time or those open weekends to launch your grand idea to the family or your friends. This not only exposes you to a new way of life, but you know that your compadres have no excuses for trying something new and improved – remember, you aren’t the only one set in your ways, the others you want to share this lifestyle with are also new, and skeptical of this new way. But, rest assured, they will absolutely love it after a few episodes of spontaneity and will share in your love for today.

And remember, the key to taking advantage of spontaneity is actually doing it! You have to force yourself to make this change, not just think about how fun it would be. Get off that couch on a lazy Saturday and do one of those things you wrote down. Not motivated? What if I told you that hanging a list of dreams on the fridge looks much better with check marks than just words? Doing this will help you feel like you’ve accomplished one goal in your life, and show others you are working towards being all you can. It is a great conversation piece with friends who stop by and see your list; and they too may catch the “living life to the fullest” bug.

Bottom line - put your ideas to use and do something about it. It is never too late to make a life change, but remember; time is of the essence. Do it or lose it, your choice.

Still can’t allow spontaneity to thrive?

Are you still stuck in the mud of your life you know so well, and can’t seem to jump on the spontaneity train? It can be a hard move to make, but here are a few suggestions to get your spontaneous ways developed:

• Know of a comet or other space-related oddity that’s coming up? Spread a blanket outdoors, grab the telescope, add some snacks and either wake the family or take their hands and lead them to their own galaxy movie. While gazing at the great sky above, discuss your ideas on space together – you may just learn something new.

• Too hot outside and everyone stuck indoors? Tell everyone to put on their bathing suits and run through the sprinkler together. Then, eat a popsicle as you dry off in the sun.

• Are your kids complaining of nothing to do? Find a park with perfect trees to climb, and act like monkeys for an hour.

• Got the beach itch? Throw everyone in the car and drive to the nearest beach for a great day of sunbathing and swimming. Or, if you aren’t close to a beach, buy a few plastic pools, fill one with water and one with sand, and set up your own beach oasis. While you are there, don’t allow anyone else to draw you back into reality until you are ready.

• Make a mixed tape of your favorite songs and drive around the town listening to it – with no destination in mind.

• Wind kicking up a bit? Time to go kite flying! Make it a family affair and compete for a small surprise – maybe a new kite or a hiatus from the daily chore list for that day.

• Need some new art for your walls? Become Picasso or Klimt and paint your own masterpieces. Hang them up after they dry.

• Take your digital camera with you every time you are in the car – you never know when a location or circumstance may inspire a photograph.

• Someone in your family love to sing? Rent or purchase a karaoke machine and have your own karaoke party.

• Instead of eating your lunch at the office, find the nearest park and swing while you eat.

• Have a new eating experience – take the whole family to a restaurant that you wouldn’t normally visit and the only rule is everyone must try something new. Be sure to let everyone have a taste of what you ordered.

• Need a pick me up? Play a baseball game with family or friends – whoever loses has to cook dinner.

• Draw a hopscotch game on your driveway and play.

• Purchase a few hoola hoops and compete with your kids or husband.

• Draw or print a map of your town, including museums, haunted houses, lakes, parks and more – take a day or two and visit them all.

• Inspire those writers in your family by holding a poetry/short story reading. Discuss the writings afterward.

• Throw the tent in the car and sleep under the stars for a night.

• Have a musical family? Write and perform a song together.

• Call up an old pal who you haven’t talked to in ages and catch up.

• Cook something you’ve never tried before.

• Make a movie – cast your family and friends –and then have a showing party.

• Walk up behind an unsuspecting family member or friend – give them a kiss on the cheek and tell them all the ways they show the world that they are a great person.