Guest Blogger, Victoria H.: YOLO

I was sitting in the living room with my children and we were talking about one of their friends doing something dangerous at the pool, just as I paused in conversation, both of my children chided each other by saying “YOLO!”

I quickly asked them what that meant.

“Mom, you don’t know what YOLO means?”

As I felt every ounce of cool drip out of me, I admitted I had no idea what it meant.

“You Only Live Once,” my little CurtsyGirl answered.

I left that conversation a little foggy on what that meant but combed the internet to find out what it meant. It seemed harmless but I dug deeper to find that it is the battle cry for doing irresponsible and possibly harmful. It is a disclaimer in flashing form that serves as an excuse:

“So, I skipped school to hang out with my friends. YOLO?”

Here is the hitch: Small decisions during this time can catapult you into the next bad decision which continually carries you further down the wrong road. Will you be wild and free if you YOLO your life away? Sure. But at some point there is a consequence to those choices *said with my best “annoying Mom” voice.

How do I know? I made lots of bad choices and have suffered through the consequences. Even though my choices were small at the time, the further I got down the path, the higher the price to pay; the further I was from the path God intended for me.

All that to say, there is a positive YOLO and that is to make decisions today, that you will thank yourself for later.

I asked our guest blogger, Victoria H. to make a YOLO list of things she can start doing today to make a better life for herself and others:

Travel to Japan
Skydive
Become an Art Teacher
Build Props for Movies
Be an Actress in a Play
Start a Band
Have a Song on the Radio
Graduate College
Live On the Beach
Grow a Garden
Buy a Convertible
Learn Spanish
Learn How to Play Guitar
Save Animals From Oil Spills
Adopt a Child

 

I read this list several times, every time my heart swelled a little more. This was just a delightful mix of Victoria's gifts. She is fun and funny. She is a helper and a person who builds others up. She is an artist and a teacher. This list reflected that beautiful spirit of hers by blending her creative gifts with her desire to help others.

We all have lists of wonderful things we want to do and if we concentrate on those YOLO items, and ignore the others (risky, dangerous stunts), we can achieve greatness instead of regrets.

CurtsyGirls Character Challenge: Make a list and post it on your bathroom mirror so you can see it regularly (I love dry erase markers). Dare yourself to do courageous and great things! Take steps to live your dream, even if that dream comes together one small step at a time.

Feel free to share your YOLO list with us. Drop us an email at CurtsyGirlsCBC@gmail.com