We’ve all heard the platitudes. “Life is too short.” “Live the dream.” “Carpe Diem, Sieze the Day.” But have you really thought about what that means?

One of my co-workers at my day job … a woman I’ve worked with for fourteen years … died on Saturday from a sudden heart attack. This a woman who’s held down two jobs for as long as I’ve known her, and who was planning on taking her first-ever cruise sometime next year, after her second grandson was born in March. I’m glad for her sake that her death was so quick, and that it happened while she was actually out with a friend, having fun, rather than sitting at her desk or behind the Quick Check counter, but still …

In honor of my co-worker Liz, ask yourself the following questions:

• What have you put off that you truly would love to do?
• Are you spending your days doing something you love? Or at least, not spending them doing something you hate?
• What goals do you have for “someday” that you could be doing now?
• Are you spending enough time with the people that you love?

And then, the next, most important question?

What can you do about it?