Healthy Hundred

Dear Carlos the Younger,

I sit here at 50 and reflect on all those years you spent chasing success, making friendships, building a career, and planning for the future. You’ve always had big dreams and goals, and that is ‘slay’ as you’ld say. But if I could share a few things I’ve learned along the way, here’s what I’d tell you:

Remember that weekend with friends staying at the lake, sitting around the fire, laughing until the early hours? Moments like those feel rare now. In the rush to succeed, I traded carefree nights like those for more late hours at the office, thinking I’d have time to enjoy life “later.” I’ve built stability, sure—but maybe I should have spent a bit more time and money doing the adventurous activities when my body was better suited to them.

So here’s my advice, from me to you:

1. Take Care of Your Health: Keep yourself fit, take the stairs, park a long way from the entrance! A strong, fit body is key to your future and will let you enjoy life better and you will still want to do the adventurous things because you can!
2. Invest in Moments, Not Just Money: Wealth matters, but don’t put off making memories. Strike a balance between saving and experiencing life. You only need to earn to cover your lifetime costs. Those experiences give you things to talk about that people find interesting.
3. Spend Your Time Wisely: Make time for friends, family, and simple joys. The career isn’t everything and it won’t look after you. You can’t make more time.

Looking ahead, I’m focused on balancing wealth, health, and time differently. Perhaps you can start it earlier.

Here’s to a life well-lived,
Carlos