Lights. Camera. Action.

Life is a movie, and you’re the star. Give it a happy ending. - Joan Rivers

Recent events have had me look at my life as a movie. Not in a dramatic, big costume drama sense, but as a reminder it’s finite. It had a clear beginning, and one day ’The End’ will role across the screen.

This has given me a sense of urgency. An urgency to move from idea to action quicker.

Not all need this reminder, but I did. Don’t get me wrong, I’m great at getting things done, in an every day context. But other times, it is as I am willingly letting time slip through my fingers.

Probably five years before I packed up my boxes to leave Lilla Essingen and Stockholm for good the thought of moving had started to crawl cross my mind. But I let it marinate. And marinate. And marinate. Now I can’t help to think of all the new beginnings and the memories I could have had if I had just executed on it earlier! Instead those years were spent in the waiting room.

It has been the same in regard to leaving jobs, and relationships. Learning new skills. Trips to take. I’ve kept them there on the horizon, beading my time. Like I have all the time in the world.

But back to the movie analogy; Who wants to watch a movie about a woman contemplating to perhaps do something in the future? Not me.

So I’ve started to curiously look at my life with those glasses - Is this a movie I’d like to watch?

Is it fun? Engaging? Scary?
Am I the main character or will I win an Oscar for best supporting actress?
The sound track. Does it make me dance or will the songs be played on Sad-FM?
Am I living in a Midsummer village or a Hallmark small town?
Is it in brilliant colors or in black and white?

Cut.

You are the screen writer, cast director and head of wardrobe for this production we call ’Your Life’.

And over to you.

Are you living a movie you’d watch yourself? Are you excited to see what will be happening next? If not, let us remember that you actually are the screen writer, cast director and head of wardrobe for this production we call ’Your Life’. Your script doesn’t have to be realistic, it can be as if it is written on a star-studded night by some who’s had a bit too much red wine while looking out at the roof tops of Paris. Or if you prefer, by an adrenaline junky who will spend way too much on special effects.

I am currently recasting and redressing this movie of mine which I hope will be filled with twist-and-turns, a lot of laughter (not the slap-stick kind) and the most beautiful sceneries of all time. But what I don’t know yet is if it will be a short-film or one of those Hollywood blockbusters which tend to go on long after the popcorn is eaten. But what I do know, is that I don’t want people to fall asleep before the credits are rolling. More importantly, I don’t want to fall asleep before the credits are rolling.

Pictures by Jake Blucker & Immo Wegmann on Unsplash.