Live your life seems to be a pretty direct message, but sometimes even with the clearest of intention you miss the mark.

Life is capacity for growth, activity and continual change.

I’m pretty careful about not wanting to infringe on copyrights, so I always try to pull something from my personal collection when posting to social media or on my website. This photo was taken while on a hike a couple of years ago with a dear friend. The view is spectacular, and it speaks to the Pink Cloud anthem, “Take Charge!” The image needed a little something and in the usual fashion, I studied the picture for inspiration and came up with the words that you see Live. Your. Life.

Friends started liking the photo and leaving sweet comments. I really meant it to be a directive for others to be inspired, but it became more of an unintended post for compliments. That charged me up to write this post.

How can I better convey the message than to break down the meaning of each word? It might seem elementary but bear with me.

LIVE /liv/ verb to be ALIVE, to exist, to be ANIMATED, to have life, to BREATHE

YOUR /yor/ possessive pronoun belonging to, ownership, IN CHARGE OF, PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

LIFE /lif/ noun the condition that distinguishes people, plants, and animals from inorganic matter, including the capacity for GROWTH, reproduction, functional ACTIVITY, and CONTINUAL CHANGE preceding death.

I am hoping to change the energy the image conducts and make it more as intended, a directive, a push, a nudge, a spark, encouragement to live your life. A message of inspiration to get you rethinking how you’re showing up in the world and what can you do better to celebrate this one precious life.

Highlighted are the parts of the definitions that speak to me. Life can be brutal. Life can also be filled with adventure, love, and magic. You can’t control many things, but you can take charge by choosing your thoughts, actions, and intentions.

Let Go of what you think life should be and Take Charge by creating what you want it to be.

Live. Your. Life.