Watching my Mother’s health decline over the last few years has taught me immeasurable lessons. Ones that I hope no one would have to go through, but ultimately we all go through the pain of releasing the grip on our own reality and watching it slip away right before our very eyes.

Over the course of the last 6–7 years, I’ve witnessed the battle of kidney disease wear on her like a spartan fighting for the lives of their countryman. She has a warrior spirit, and while no genuine answers to her condition lie before us, spice and vigor are still very present in her life. Throughout this time, the constant theme I am reminded of day in, day out is how short this life truly is.

It is through witnessing her fight; I am shown how much of my life I’ve yet to live, and I am now working diligently to make up for time lost. Knowing I am moving toward my dreams, I still acknowledge I am not where I’d hope to be. Who knows if she will live to see me embodying my fullest potential, but one thing is for certain, it is in her name that I will achieve my goals.

We are only afforded one precious life. One chance to truly live out the dreams that we entertain the back of our minds. When you witness a loved one dancing with the reaper time and time again, you are awakened to the brevity of that which we call our existence. In a blink of an eye, you look into the mirror and ask yourself, “where did all the time go?”.

Why do we succumb to the trivialities of an unauthentic life? Why do we subject ourselves to the rat race of that which we call work, life, society, and then wonder why we never find a true balance between them? Where one task ends, another request is made, and the endless cycle of our repetitive lives continues down the hamster wheel.

Stepping into your power means living authentically.

Living authentically means staying true to the course of your North star. Equal parts listening deeply to your intuition and trusting yourself enough to know when to course correct. At its core, it’s living in a way that when you get old (hopefully) and die (undoubtedly), you’ll be proud of the life you were granted.

There are so many times throughout my life where I’ve had to readjust my path, and truthfully, that is what life is all about. We never have it all figured out, and just when you think you’ve nailed it, a swift curve ball comes out of nowhere to knock you on your ass again, just to spice things up a bit.

Just today, while on the phone with a friend, we both agreed that we are all just trying to figure out this thing called life. It never ends, it always evolves, and we are all just along for the ride. Before you know it, with a blink of an eye, it’s over, before it even began. The time is now; the day is today. If you’re not living for your dreams, whose dreams are you living for?

Throughout all of this with my mother, a large worry she bears is my future of success and career, and how I will support myself. She seems to be more preoccupied with it than I am. It’s hard for her to have faith that I can fully support myself with my writings and offerings. I trust in my timing and know that everything works for me. As much as I’ve tried to comfort her during my stints of “following my heart,” I fall short in succeeding in such.

The only opinion that matters is the one you hold of yourself. While I know her motives are pure, and her worries are justified, I’ve realized that they are her worries and not my own. We hold had vastly unique experiences, and I cannot claim them as my own. In my previous years, I would have used her worrisome energy to fuel the fire of my direction in life. Now, I walk my own path and at my own pace, because only I know what is truly right for me.

I’ve struggled throughout my entire life with what my parents think of me. I think this is a common problem most millennials deal with. My Father to this day, continues to give me unsolicited career “advice” under the guise of goodwill. I’ve learned to tune it out. Throughout their disappointments, suggestions, and guidance, I have always figured it out somehow, some way. This is only just the beginning, and I hope my Mom will be around long enough to witness the flourishing of my dreams, for they will be achieved in her honor.