You can’t change the past, but the future holds possibilities. Our choices shape our lives, and although you can’t change the past, the future is full of possibilities. Japanese writer Toshikazu Kawaguchi makes a case for not leaving things until later in his book Before the Coffee Gets Cold:

Don’t leave anything for later.
Later, the coffee gets cold.
Later, you lose interest.
Later, the day turns into night.
Later, people grow up.
Later, people grow old.
Later, life goes by.
Later, you regret not doing something…
When you had the chance.

Life is a fleeting dance, a delicate balance of moments that unfold before us, never to return in quite the same way again. Regret is a bitter pill to swallow, a weight that bears down upon the soul with the burden of missed chances and unspoken words.

So, let us not leave anything for later. Let us seize the moments as they come, with hearts open and arms outstretched to embrace the possibilities that lie before us. For in the end, it is not the things we did that we regret, but the things we left undone, the words left unspoken, the dreams left unfulfilled.

Social entrepreneur and podcaster Raj Jana also reminds us that the time is now to act to create the life you want:

There is no rewind button or do-over on life. Time spent is forever lost – but that doesn’t mean today can’t be the start of something beautiful. True; the best time to start may have been 10 years ago, but the second-best time is now. So, grab the mic now and make a choice right now to squeeze everything you can out of this beautiful thing called life. Remember, you don’t have to finish where you started. Things don’t have to stay as they are because they’ve always been that way. You can make your own rules, choose your own path, and win big with whatever you want for your life. Live from your heart, create through the lens of love, and stay forever curious. Dance with every aspect of your being and allow every part of you to shine. Find your version of wholeness.”