Read Online Don't Tell Me I Can't Do It! by Erica Miller - Free Book Online Page B

in a future that may or may not develop the way we envision. It’s about taking ownership over what we’re going to do with the rest of our lives, beginning right here and right now. And wherever there’s life, there’s hope. It’s never over until the fat lady sings! If we choose, we can take up the audacious challenge to live for ourselves and for others right here, right now.

    I have a very specific vision for the end my life, whenever it comes. Embraced by my family, my children and my grandchildren, I’ll peacefully cross the threshold, ready to join the universe and its mysterious splendor. “Thanks for my journey,” I’ll say, whether aloud or not doesn’t matter. I’ll be smiling as I travel above and beyond, eagerly embarking on the next leg of my eternal voyage.
    I don’t know whether that’s the way it will happen or not, but I’ve contemplated my death and will be found ready when it comes. I’m grateful that the paradeof corpses I watched pass below my window in Mogilev still reminds me that tomorrow may never dawn. I can make my plans, but I can’t decide whether I’ll be given the opportunity to execute them from one week to the next. I’m glad this thought impels me to live my life today the way I’ve lived it ever since I was a little girl—with passion, with obstinate determination, with fearless conviction that whatever comes along the way is peculiarly beshert.
    My family in 2009.
    A FINAL NOTE ON THIS CHAPTER:
    Live Life Today
    Your past does not own you. You own your future and your past is your toolbox whenever necessary. Tools are seldom used, and that’s alright. What’s important is that you gain control of who you are, what you want to become, and how you view yourself in the context of your life. You must build a journey, not just experience one with blinders on. Instead, navigate yourself to desirable destinations and enjoy the ride!
    Live in the moment as if you will live forever. Be open to some of the mystery and unexpected occurrences that life offers. Curiosity, excitement, and positive anticipationwill help you embrace the unknown. It will also help you shape the unknown. Yesterday is gone, and past experiences are now in your archive of references for you to constructively use. Take your next steps forward. If the results do not pan out the way you exactly aspired, it’s okay. You will likely end up closer to your imagined goal than you would have without strong intentions. If anything, the journey is worth it, because you’re worth it. Now, go make yourself proud. YOU CAN DO IT!

IN PARTING
    T hroughout this book, I’ve been summarizing a few simple rules by which I choose to live my life. I’m not entirely certain at what point I formulated each of them, but these five sayings have enabled me to savor my experience of the here and now while simultaneously looking upon an uncertain future with bold, confident optimism:
Life is a gift, a journey both smooth and rocky. Flex your muscles of experience.
    There is no failure. Disappointments make the joy of accomplishments so much greater.
    Hurt brings opportunity for healing. Cherish it all. Live life today. The past is gone. The future might never be.
    These statements encapsulate some of the many lessons I’ve learned along a winding but scenic life path—from the helpless squalor of the camps to the responsible comfort of my executive office. Over time, they have solidified into convictions, beliefs that have allowed me to overcome obstacles, savor new victories, and take ownership of my future. They have served me well. I pass them on in this book hoping that others will discover in them the keys to a more meaningful, purpose-filled life in the here and now.
    I’ve said before that each day holds new surprises and new opportunities, and I expect this energetic soul still has plenty to learn before all is said and done. As a matter of fact, I’m smack dab in the middle of a learning opportunity right now. In my