I’ve been mourning all summer.

Since I’ve been traveling, speaking, and getting ready for my fall book launch, I have been mourning that I haven’t been able to ride my bike.

Hogwash.

Do you ever find yourself using the phrase, “I love _________ so much, I wish I had time to do it”?

Hogwash.

I’ve been speaking hogwash all summer!

Just yesterday, I was telling a friend that since RAGBRAI (500 mile bicycle ride across Iowa), I haven’t had anything to train for, so I haven’t been riding as much. That makes absolutely no sense. If I love it, then why am I not doing it?

I have a mantra that I live by: “Today is the best day ever because if today were my last day, I would want it to be my best day. Therefore, today is the best day ever.”

If I’m really living that way, even when I have a lot to do I should be making time for the things I love.

I have total control over my choices. There is no bar code on my forehead that must be swiped by the master big brother in order for me to make a decision. I get to choose. I choose my job, my hobbies, my lack of hobbies, my friends, my bedtime, my wake time, my length of shower time, my play time, my exercise time…it is all up to me.

How about this phrase, “There need to be more hours in the day!”

Yep, I’ve used it. And it’s hogwash. You see, a couple years ago, I banned the word “busy” from my vocabulary. So I’ve gotten really good at finding synonym words and phrases that can replace “busy” in my conversations. But the whole point is realizing that filling up my schedule doesn’t give me “worth” and complaining about the things I “wish” I could do doesn’t accomplish anything.

How about this one? “Well, since we had kids, we don’t do much anymore.”

Wow. Yes, our kids are super important. And my PRIORITIES changed when we had Kayden. But we still went to the movies, still hung out with friends, still went to festivals. We’re teaching Kayden how life should be lived. So does that mean we just STOP doing the things we love? Hoggity-wash.

Now, there are certainly things I DO NOT WANT to do. But either I do them anyway because they are necessary, or I say no. A CHOICE! A choice that I make! If I’m using “time” as an excuse, then I most likely do not want to do it. THAT is honest.

A friend told me the other day she didn’t want to bother me with texts asking me to pray because she knows how much is going on in my life. NO WAY!!! I want to pray, I want to hang out with friends, I want to do ALL THE THINGS life offers. And I’m learning just like you are how to navigate all the possibilities and make the right choices for my own life and the life of my family. I can’t say YES to everything. That is not the point of this blog post.

Some of you need to STOP SAYING YES to everything because saying YES is keeping you from the things you love. This is not about saying YES to everyone who asks you. That’s not going to work. And sometimes people will be upset if you say no.

But the “time” part is hogwash. There is always time. I might have already filled it with other things.

Do you love to read? I do, too. And I had stopped reading because I didn’t have “time” until this past January, when I decided I would make time every day – even if it’s just five minutes – to read. I have already read 32 books since January and I’m on track to read my 50 book goal by the New Year. I might even go over it!

Are you tired of WISHING for that something? To write that book? Take that vacation? Call that person? Lose that weight? Run that marathon? Ride your bike? (ALL FINGERS ARE POINTING AT ME RIGHT NOW).

You have time.

And I do, too. I’m going to ride my bike. And I’m going to choose to do it because I love it, I feel good doing it, and happiness just happens to me when I’m on the bike (hence the reason I said “Good morning” to every single person I passed this morning).

You can literally put ANYTHING on your calendar, and you don’t owe ANYONE an explanation. You have an “appointment” – even if it’s just to take a 20 minute nap because you need it, you love it, and it makes you better because you do it.

This life is SO SHORT. I’m watching my friends deal with cancer, heart scares, and hospitalizations. It could hit at any time – and it’s always when we least expect it. Don’t waste this life NOT doing the things you love. This life was MEANT to be lived FULL (John 10:10) and I don’t want to miss a MILLISECOND.

Let’s get back on that bike, friends. THAT is NOT hogwash.

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Hey! My book, Choose: An Invitation to the Best Day Ever Adventure is all about living the John 10:10 full life. There are 21 days, 21 choices, and 21 challenges to choose the abundant life. It launches on October 10, 2017,  but advance copies are available to those who would be interested in writing a review and publicizing the book on launch day. If you’re interested, shoot me an e-mail at carrielane@gmail.com.  Thanks for reading!