Someone asked me recently what I do for fun. Imagine this, if you can, I had NO RESPONSE! Crazy, right? I eventually said jokingly that I was too old for fun. But in giving that more thought after the moment passed, I realized that there are MANY things I do for fun that some folks might not see as 'fun' in their opinion.
See, when I was in the Air Force, I enjoyed spending off-duty time with co-workers and friends. We would check out that new restaurant that recently opened, take the bikes out for a ride, or even go play paintball where we would then wind up at our favorite bar downtown. It seemed there was always a neat festival nearby, too! We found tons of socializing and events to immerse ourselves in during our free time.
Then I became a wife, mom, and eventually a businessowner. Suddenly my 'dance card' became more focused on my family and then my clients. Nowadays it seems when I'm not chasing my babies (or tracking them down to make sure they've eaten today because they are working on getting to their own independence and I only see them between their jobs and sports), I'm working on my business and thinking about ways to better assist my clients. I actively seek out ways to provide more value and unique ways to show them how much I appreciate their business and trust in me. For many, that sounds awful. But I honestly wouldn't have it any other way. The feedback is incredible!
Recently I came to face to face with the realization that while I absolutely love and enjoy the life that's been built here, I need to take more time taking care of me. Do you need more time to take care of you, too? Think about it. By the time we eat the way we're supposed to, drink ALL the water we're supposed to, get all the exercise we're supposed to (even getting in all those steps per hour), get all the sleep we're supposed to, and moisturize all the parts of ourselves that need moisturizing, what time is left for everything else? But, what can you comfortably afford to let go by the wayside? If you ask me, estate planning should not be a thing that slides off your plate. While there are plenty of water enhancers to make getting your 8 glasses a day more tolerable and there are TONS of wrinkle creams to smooth away those fine lines, there's absolutely no way to turn back time and put your legacy plans into motion after you lose capacity.
That said, while I am committed from here on out to taking better care of myself while having fun in the process, I want you to know that I would like you to consider doing the same thing. Take care of YOU and don't wait until it's too late. Estate planning doesn't have to be scary and who knows, you might actually be like me and find it kind of fun!
