The death of Gabby Petito had not only made headlines nationally but also worldwide. Gabby’s life was cut short at the age of 22 years old and she was sadly found dead in an area out in the Bridger-Teton National Forest in Wyoming. Her death was confirmed a homicide and is a tragedy that continues to draw media attention. At her funeral, her stepfather Jim Schmidt had said, “You can always make money but you can’t make up for lost time.” This quote resonated with me and I am sure many people can agree with this. As much as we dedicate our lives to our careers and working lives, at the same time, we have to realize that there is more to life than just working and making money.

I had recently wrote an article this past summer talking about this exact topic. As I have gotten older, I definitely value quality of life (aka my personal time) over money. That’s not to say that I don’t work as hard but what it does mean is that I make an effort to make time to do the things that I LOVE! I never want life to pass me by and look back wishing I had done something that I really wanted to do. I truly do try to live life in the present as best as I can. I think everyone should take the time to pursue their interests and as the title of my blog states, “Make up the life you love.” I am not saying that work is not important or that we don’t need money. I just believe that we should find a balance where we have a healthy work life along with a healthy personal life filled with whatever makes our life feel most complete. 🙂