By Jo Robertson

I am not kidding, one of my boys genuinely asked me this about two years ago.

So, what prompted it?

Well, about 4 years ago I was flicking through some old photos and came across one where I thought “hmm, you looked alright back then, wish I could go back to looking like that, being that young again”

You know it, you’ve done it too right? I see it on Facebook, people sharing photos with the comment, look how skinny I was, young I was, healthy I was.

But the truth is, I remember how I felt back then, I didn’t feel skinny, pretty or young. I wasn’t excited by the world and opportunity that stretched before me. I didn’t appreciate my pre-mortgage bank account or my pre-twins tummy (oh for a pre-twins tummy, {stares wistfully into space}).

It never occurred to me at the moment that photo was taken that one day I would look back and think “I wish I’d appreciated what I had whilst I had it”

And then it clicked, if a photo of my life were taken right now, in 10 years time I’d be looking back on it and saying …. I wish I had appreciated how young I was, skinny, healthy, how many years I had ahead of me…. {insert your own measure}

Right now, right here, I am living the life I am going to look back on with envy, so why not make the living as amazing as the rose-tinted memories.

This isn’t just some wishy, washy motivational blog, I truly had that moment of clarity. It hit me hard and I changed how I lived there and then.

The fear of having my haircut short because I was too old…. nope, this is the youngest I am ever going to be. The hairs gone and I love it.

When my crazy friend suggested we try snowboarding, I was there like a shot. Till she broke her wrist and I got scared, but that’s just sensible.

And when my even crazier sister suggested a 100k 24-hour walk, well you know the answer.

Am I too fat for that…. nope, am I too old to do that…. no way, should I really be bringing pizza back for my (teenage) children at 2 am a little worse for wear…. well probably not but hey they’re not complaining and who doesn’t love a midnight feast.

This is not a life’s short, eat the cake post. This is about loving the life you are living right now and living it the way you’re going to wish you had 10 years from now.

So, get your photos out and find your picture. Keep it with you and next time you think “I wish I was ….” take a look at that picture and change it to “I am, I can, I will”.

So, am I having a mid-life crisis? No way, come and join me in my mid-life celebration!

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