Reposted from Tim Richardson

If Only I Had One More Day…

Those are words my wife and I say often when something meaningful is about to happen. It might be when all six of our kids are coming home for Christmas, the day before we leave for vacation, or the afternoon before we’re hosting multiple guests for dinner.
I can’t remember a time in recent memory when one of us didn’t say it in situations like these -and probably many others as well.
No matter how much we plan, we can’t seem to get everything done before big events.
The same feeling shows up during special vacations, while spending time with close friends we haven’t seen in years, or when a perfect weather day appears just before the forecast takes a turn.

Just one more day…

This feeling shows up in my business life too.
I wish I had one more day – before a big speech.
I wish I had one more day – before leaving for my annual five-day National Speakers Association convention.
I wish I had one more day – before a major proposal is due for a client.
Recently, I’ve known several friends who lost loved ones. While they didn’t say it out loud, I’m certain they felt the weight of the “one more day” mantra.
Of course, all the wishing in the world won’t make another day appear.
We know when the kids are coming home; it’s on the calendar.
Our summer vacation in July doesn’t sneak up on us.
My speeches are scheduled well in advance, and the conference dates are already locked in for 2026.
So what if – when we schedule the big day – we take a page from Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and begin with the end in mind? What is the desired outcome? What needs to happen to ensure the event, speech, conference, or vacation goes smoothly? What preparations can be made far in advance to reduce stress – or eliminate it entirely? What’s the backup plan if something unexpected happens right before the event? And what if we applied that same intentionality to how we live? What if we consistently communicated love and gratitude to our friends and family? What if we apologized quickly when our words hurt someone? What if we lived each day with a sense of wonder – choosing gratitude, kindness, and presence with everyone around us?

Because maybe the real lesson isn’t wishing for one more day. Maybe it’s learning to live this day as if it matters – so we don’t feel the need to ask for another one.

To ponder:
What would change if you lived today like it was already scheduled to matter? 

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