Rule #35 Do the "Do Over" The First Time!

“Live as if you were living already for the second time and as  if you had acted the first time as wrongly as you are about to act now.”-Viktor Frankl

How many times have you said, “If I had it to do all over again I would...?” I know I have uttered those words more times than I care to recall. In the above quote Viktor Frankl gives an excellent strategy to limit the need for “do overs.” What if we didn’t take our loved ones for granted? What if we went ahead and put in the extra effort? What if we told ourselves, “Shut up you are qualified. You can do this, and a change will not destroy your life. Go ahead. Do it!”

Jemilynn and I just watched the movie, “About Time.” In the film the central character (Tim)  learns all the men in his family at the age of 21 receive the gift of time travel. There are certain parameters on the ability but time travel is possible nonetheless. I rarely go in for this sort of film, but I’m so glad I gave this one a chance.  It’s from the same folks who produced “Love Actually” so that alone gave me reason to give it a chance. What’s the earliest I can watch “Love Actually?” The last day of August is pretty close to Christmas right? Hmm. I digress.

By the end of the film, Tim uses a strategy his father (played by the amazing Billy Nighy) teaches him by which he lives a day then goes back and lives it again paying special attention to savor the sweetness of the good things that happen from day to day. This film reminded me of the Frankl quote. 

While we don’t have the ability to go back in time and take another stab at any given day, we can be very deliberate with our actions. For example,  when we part from our spouse it’s so easy to just give a quick goodbye and a wave. However, what if we stopped, turned, went over to our loved one and gave them a kiss and hug and a thoughtful goodbye? What if each day we made it a point to not waste a single interaction with our fellow man. We instead deliberately gave a smile, a thank you, an apology, a laugh or a word of encouragement.

Just because there are no do overs doesn’t mean we can’t make every effort to do it right the first time and therefore have less need for them.

You rule!

Jason