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It rained today as I was out riding my escooter. And with one slight turn on a slippery metal drain, my escooter skidded and sent me to the floor.
The first thing I noticed as I got up was how close my head was to hitting a metal pole. At the speed I was going and no protective gear, a direct collide could result in a major head injury or worse, death.
After making sure I was fit to move, I slowly made my way home. I’m so fortunate I escaped with bruises and a sprained wrist. It could have gone horribly wrong.
Through it all, there were a number of important realizations that came to mind.
1. Life is short
We could lose our lives at any given point. Not to curse anyone but you could have a heart attack or suffocation in your sleep. Or walk out the door and a piano falls on you. Or get run down by a car.
Our bodies are so fragile and it honestly scares me.
Every moment counts. It made me cherish every second. So, whenever you’re pissed off at minor things, remember that life is short. Don’t waste it by holding grudges.
2. Start saving up for the rainy days
The moment when I was so close to a major head trauma made me realised I don’t have adequate savings. Hell, I don’t think I have savings at all; probably only $10 to my name.
In life, good things happen all the time but there are moments of downfall. If that one downfall caused a temporary disability and you couldn’t work, you need to have enough savings to support yourself.
Saving up for the rainy days wasn’t just about saving up in case you got fired. It’s protection for your own health and well-being.
3. Start working on getting passive income
Passive income is amazing because you don’t actively need to do the work in order to get paid. Currently, if you were unable to work for the next 2 months, would you still have an income?
I realised I need to start building multiple income streams with (possibly) 2 passive income. There are a lot of ways to grow a passive income.
Here are a few ideas on the top of my head:
- Investments (property, business equity, stocks, etc)
- A self-sustaining business (that can function while you’re away)
- Published books (not too sure if this works)
- Rent a room
- Create and sell online courses
- Create a website and have advertisers on the site
- Create YouTube/Facebook videos (with ads)
4. Relationship matters
When you’re dead, you don’t bring your money to the grave. So, no matter how much you need it when you’re alive, always remember that your relationship with family and friends is much more valuable.
They’re the ones who will remember you long after you’re gone. Your legacy lives on through them.
5. If today were my last day, I wouldn’t be happy with what I’ve accomplished
There were things I’ve done and said that I have to make up for. Family ties that I needed to fix. Places I wanted to visit and things I wanted to do.
There’s so much in life that I have yet to discover. For someone who wants to remind others to live their lives to fullest, I sure am not living up to my words.
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This post was previously published on www.medium.com and is republished here with permission from the author.
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Photo credit: Istockphoto.com