This was the question and theme in a recent movie I watched whereby Robin Williams plays a very angry man with a brain aneurysm, who is told he has just 90 minutes left of his life. How he changes, grows and learns in those 90 minutes is quite beautiful. At the end of the film he asks his doctor what she would do if she found out she had just 90 minutes left. Her response… I’d learn how to be happy.
I’m a total sucker for films like this. They are heart-warming reminders to make every moment count. They provoke those bucket-list style thoughts, make you want to pick up the phone to a loved one and have you daydreaming about what you’d change to learn how to be happier.
Death struck close to my heart almost 4 years ago, when I lost my Mum to a vicious battle with cancer. Ever since that moment I’ve tried to live my life with the ‘life’s too short, live your dreams mentality’ in her honour and you could easily argue that I’ve done just that… Out of grief or not I moved to the seaside, to where I thought I wanted to be. Then I moved back to my home-town. I started up my own business in alternative therapies, then decided it wasn’t my life’s calling. I got my dream dog, raised £16,000 for charity with my best friends and family, got a new job and then further realised my life calling… well at least I think I have!! In between all of that I’ve had some amazing holidays, purchased some ‘dream’ buys and created some very special memories with friends and family. I aim to see the good in every person and every situation and am a total happiness and gratitude seeker.
But what this film really made me think about is that despite everything I’ve achieved, if I only had 90 minutes to live, what would really matter in that moment? For me the memories and moments that really counted were the ones filled with an abundance of love, laughter, family and friendships. It’s the moments of hilarious silly fun that you cannot recreate and the special loving moments that make you experience true gratitude.
We can’t predict what curveballs life is going to throw at us, but these types of films are great reminders to inspire you. They inspire you to think a little more about how you can be a happier, better, greater person. Do great things, achieve great things and just be as all round awesome as you can be. They remind you to strive for happiness.
So have big dreams, visions and goals, create a huge bucket list and strive to tick off everything, creating memories along the way. Don’t hesitate to create treasured moments with family and friends, be silly, have fun and laugh a lot. But also think about what you would do if it all boiled down to 90 minutes.
What would you do in this moment? Who would you call and what would you say to them?… It’s certainly a smart exercise to make us think about what’s important right now.
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