When I was fourteen my mom made me watch an educational movie about the human body. My only takeaway from this movie was the terrifying reality that I was aging. I would not always be able-bodied, and for some reason I was not comfortable with that reality.

I started to spiral.

I was growing up. I didn’t believe in Santa or the Easter Bunny any more, and the holidays just weren’t the same without it. I had responsibilities, expectations, and obligations now.

Today I am writing this post to explain something that I finally realized, after I got past the initial shock of aging…

Your life is really what you make of it…

If I want to be healthy and active when I’m eighty-five, then I should invest in that today. I should be active today so that I can be stronger tomorrow.

If I want to be well-traveled and full of stories when I’m old, then I should travel and explore now. I should live the adventures that will beget my history.

I know that I want to be passionate and inspired, so I will wake up and explore my passions with every new morning. I will do it every day because I simply can’t let it go to waste.

The same is true for you…

I know a lot of people who are melancholy about growing up. You have to realize, however, that growing up is defined by you. You decide what it means to you. You do not have to say goodbye to the things you love and the dreams you have. If the idea of growing up makes you sad, consider redefining it. Imagine living life knowing that each day set you up for a better day the next. That’s all it is. It’s only what you make of it, however good or bad that may be.