The Time Is Now

While the universe continues to force us to be in time out, I think the biggest question or concern we all have is “What’s next for us?” Perhaps we should take a step back, realize what we can’t control and focus on what is happening now. With 20 plus years in the business, I know I speak for a lot of us when I say there is no such thing as ever slowing down, or taking time to stop and smell the roses. The little bit of time we get to ourselves we use to catch up on the things we’ve had to put off for a while. We spend years telling ourselves we’re going to write a book, document our memories and accomplishments, spend more time with our parents, teach our kids the qualities that were instilled in us as children, etc. Right now you don’t have much of a choice but to slow down and focus on some kind of structure in your life to keep you sane during these trying times. Why not focus on the things you’ve always wanted to do, but never had the time to try. The time is now!

It can be a big task or a little task. But it’s the perfect time to focus and take a swing. For me, I love writing. I have always loved it and I’ve always said I am going to write a book about the heartbreaks and victories of my career in the radio industry. I have so many crazy stories and so much to be grateful for. But I always had some kind of excuse as to why I didn’t have time to sit down and get started. That ends today. The time is now.

I also don’t have any children of my own. I don’t ever regret that decision thanks to my 13 beautiful nieces and nephews and my great niece and great nephew. But I always knew that I could be a great role model for children, so when I moved back to Las Vegas, I volunteered for Big Brothers Big Sisters. Obviously we can’t go out and do activities right now, but my Lil Sis is a young teenager stuck at home and sometimes alone, and I know how important virtual interaction can be. The time is now.

I know it’s difficult for some of you with several young children at home, trying to home school them and keep them entertained, but when will you ever get this kind of quality time with them again? Even during the summer they have planned activities. Make these moments count. The time is now. How many of us love stand-up comedy? How many of us want to do stand-up comedy? The time is now.

Sit down and start writing, and launch your YouTube channel. How many of us want to learn to play a musical instrument? I have guitar sitting in my closet and I’ve never used it before. I don’t even know how to tune it. There are so many online courses and virtual training opportunities. And if you have kids, do it with them and make it part of their “at home arts education.” They will love you for it later. The time is now.

As for the little things? When was the last time you saw the actual real color of your hair? I’m pretty sure the last time my hair was really blonde was when I was in 6th grade. Maybe this is an expense I don’t really need? If you don’t mind the gray, or not going gray yet, the time is now. If you’ve always wanted to learn to speak another language, the time is now. I’ve NEVER seen Titanic. True story! The time is now. Last year at this time I was sitting at home alone on my couch in a blizzard with the flu (and eventually pneumonia) when I started binging Game Of Thrones for the first time ever. I went through the entire show in a matter of 2 weeks and missed a lot of things. I always said I wanted to watch it again from start to finish so I could pick up on everything I missed. This morning I took out my Dracarys t-shirt and coffee mug (and yes I put on a bra) and said to myself, “The time is now!” (But that’s only because I finished Tiger King in less than 2 days.) Also, last year at this time, I watched Bird Box too, BUT I would not recommend watching it again right now because it’s pretty freaking disturbing and hits a little close to home. I didn’t sleep for two weeks.

I could go on and on about things I’d like to do but my list would be endless. My point is, I see a lot of people on social media trying to stay motivated and active and trying to figure out the future. We don’t have the answers yet, but your actions NOW will help you moving forward. You can check off your “realistic” bucket list as you go along. It will keep you focused and motivated, help you clear a path to your future and bring you closer to your family and your dreams.

Oh and one other thing, if you haven’t done so already, start working on your taxes. Sure the deadline has been extended, but will you really have the time to do them when things go back to normal? I don’t think so. The time is now.