Eat the Goddamn Cake: Embracing Life

We only get one shot at life, and we don't know how long we have to take that shot.

The last few years have taught many of us that lesson in some of the harshest ways. Lockdowns, restrictions, the loss of freedom and routine, and for some of us, the devastating loss of our loved ones. 

For many of us, myself included, those years took a toll on both our physical and mental health. Fitness lossed, weight gained, anxiety creeping in stealing our confidence. I found myself stuck in loops of catastrophic thinking.

We’ve all been holding it together the best as we can since 2020 (maybe even before). But let’s be honest: the cracks have shown.

We don't live forever. Our tomorrow isn’t promised. The only guarantee we have is the present moment. This moment in time.

For years, I tied so much of myself to being a trail runner. How far I could go, how fast I could be. But as the world slowed down, so did I. Eventually under pressure I let go of the need to always push. Instead, I started asking myself: Where can I go? What can I see? How can I make the most of right now? What brings me joy?.

I embraced the idea of microadventures as a slow runner and hiker, exploring new trails, climbing hills for the views, finding joy in the journey. It wasn’t about setting records anymore. It was about living.

And I know I’m not alone. So many of us have shifted our perspective. It’s no longer about squeezing more out of life, but about savoring it, each fleeting moment.

So here’s my advice

Climb the hill, take in the view, claim the summit, not for anyone else, but for you.

Run the race if you want to, or don’t. Walk it if you need to. It’s the experience that counts, not the clock.

Book the B&B, pitch the tent, or simply bivvy camp out under the stars.

Say yes to learning something new, to making changes, expressing yourself through art, or even just to a quiet day reading in your pajamas.

Call your loved ones. Hug them.

And for the love of all things sweet: Eat the goddamn cake.

Because here’s the truth: we’re not here forever. Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed. We owe it to ourselves, and to those we’ve lost, to live fully, boldly, unapologetically.

This is your life. Your only life. Live it your way. All the best x