"The future depends on what we do in the present." - Mahatma Gandhi

If Gandhi was right, that's putting a lot of pressure on every single second of our lives. I'm sure a lot of readers will agree that the older you get, the quicker time flies. Great... now that we're actually old enough to make our own decisions, we don't have time to... Personally, I have a long bucket list. At 27, I've knocked out several items on my list, but I still have a long way to go. There are even some items I've wanted to accomplish during my 20's, but time is marching on, and my 20's are quickly disappearing. (I guess I better get to work!)

Being a dancer gives me an even greater appreciation for time, and while I will always be able to clog in one way or another, my toes won't always hold up to toe stands and my knees, hips, and lower leg muscles will eventually start aggravating me more than they already are. Eventually (as much as I hate to admit it) I will not be able to dance the way I am now, which makes me cherish every second that I am able to dance and perform the way I do in the present. To take it all in when I'm dancing at The Greenbrier, to take every opportunity to entertain alongside amazing dancers on a competitive stage, and to welcome new adventures with open arms because I don't know just where they might lead.

But if the future depends on what we do in the present, how do we know we're always making the right decisions? The littlest of opportunities that we pass by could unfold into the greatest accomplishment or adventure of our lifetime. So many of us have a goal that we often dream of and fantasize about but continue to put off. I'll do that one day, we think. One day I will quit my boring day job and open the business I've always wanted to, or One day I will take a road trip across the country, or One day I will take that extra step to shoot for my dream. But what happens when that one day never comes? What happens when fear, procrastination, or simply not believing gets in the way? We only get one life to live, people, and here's the other thing to think about - the only guarantee is that we will live until we die. I could go until I'm 98 or I could only live to see 28.

So if you have a dream, a goal, or just something you've always wanted to do, now is the time. Don't think. Do! Yes, the future does depend on what we do in the present. To be frank (and in this case I believe that's the best way to be) if you want to have a future full of self-doubt with thoughts along the lines of I wonder what would have happened if I... then that's your choice. But if you want to leave this great, big world behind knowing that you have done or tried to do everything you set out to, then I suggest taking the road less traveled. Carve out your new path today, and if you're already on that path then keep on trottin'. Be true to what you really want out of life, and let that little voice inside of you, your inner-dreamer, come to the surface. We only get one life to live. New paths and opportunities may be scary, but is it better to have lived and lost than never to have lived at all?? Living and grabbing life by the horns or a future full of what-if's? I choose to grab those horns and hang on for the ride.