Do you remember the old Emergency Broadcast Announcement, the one with the horrible beeping sound that tells you “had this been an actual emergency, you would have been instructed where to go and…”

A few years ago, there was something similar making the rounds on the Internet. It went something like this. “This life is a test. It is only a test. Had this been an actual life, you would have received instructions on where to go and what to do…”

It would be nice if life came with instructions on where to go and what to do. But it doesn’t.

And yet, so many people go through life as if they’re waiting for instructions, or for their “real” life to begin. You’ll hear people say things like “When I lose 20 pounds, I’m going to…” or, “When I’ve got enough money, then I’m going to…” It’s as if they’ve put their life on hold, waiting for everything to be perfect, before they start actually living it!

But this life isn’t a test, or a rehearsal, or a game. You don’t get a “do over” when it’s finished. This is it.

Don’t waste another minute of your life! Instead of waiting until things are perfect, or for “someday” to arrive, start enjoying yourself now!

Not sure what to do?

Make a “What I want to do Before I die” list. When you’re starting your list, it doesn’t matter how wild and crazy your dreams are! So if you’ve always wanted to take up scuba diving, or you want to make a million dollars or even sing in front 10,000 people — write it down. Think about everything that you really want — the things that would make you feel special or loved, or important. The things you’ve been meaning to get around to doing, but for one reason or another, just haven’t done. The secret dreams that have been hiding in a tiny corner of your heart.

The important thing here is figure out exactly what it is you WANT. Writing the things down, gives them form and shape and power.

After you’ve written them down, prioritize the list. What things are on that list that are the most important to you? If you found out that you were going to die next year, or next week, or tomorrow, what would you want to do before it happens?

Don’t be surprised if your list is very long. You’ve probably been denying yourself for a while now, because “life” got in the way of “living.” If you’re like most people, you’ll find there are some things on your list that are very simple, and easy to do. Maybe you like feeling spoiled by having your first cup of coffee in bed every morning. Or maybe you only use grandma’s “company” dishes during special occasions, but you love them. Or maybe your list includes things like telling the people you love that they matter to you.

Whatever is on your list, whatever dreams and desires are in your heart, what are you waiting for? Set your alarm fifteen minutes earlier, and enjoy your coffee in bed. If you want to learn to salsa dance, but you’re waiting until you lose fifteen pounds — remember that salsa dancing is a great form of exercise — and just do it!

When you give yourself permission to start living your life, amazing things start to happen! You may find yourself going through a “lucky” streak. Opportunity starts knocking at your door on a regular basis. And you may even find that the stress and strain you were under has lifted. Things look brighter, and you feel happier.

Don’t throw your list away — in fact, keep it handy and add to it as you think of new dreams, new goals. Because as you begin to live the life you were meant to live — a life that’s worth living — you may just find that you need a new sheet of paper!

The alarm goes off and through the thin slit between your eyelids, a sliver of white daylight gets in, signaling another day has begun.

With your sore, aching body, you buckle up your lead boots, strap on your sack of anger and resentment, and trudge laboriously into your day. You’re weak, exhausted, and burdened with pain before the day even starts.

This is what it feels like to carry around anger, resentment, and emotional pain day after day. You have no energy left for things that might bring you joy or happiness. In fact, if asked, you may not even remember the last time you had a truly great day.

All you keep seeing in your mind’s eye is replay after replay of the person you’re angry at, the person who wronged you.

This may be a difficult thing to hear but the only person being hurt carrying this emotional baggage around is you. According to a study performed at the Harvard School of Public Health, those scoring highest on an anger scale were three times more likely to develop heart disease over several years than those scoring lowest.

And here’s another other thing you might not want to hear – each day you hold on to that emotional pain and resentment, you give the person who wronged you control over your life. Each and every day drains away more and more of your own personal power.

There is a way out of this soul-depleting cycle — it’s forgiveness.

You probably don’t want to hear that word either. But that one word carries the most incredible power of healing and growth.

If you’re like many people in a state of emotional suffering, you may confuse forgiveness with excusing the wounding behavior, or simply forgetting about it, condoning it, or reconciling with the hurtful person.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean any of those things.

Forgiveness is having the courage to let go of the negative emotions you have about the person who hurt you. Researchers on forgiveness believe you are in control of your behavior and have the ability to make a personal choice to forgive or not.

Choosing to forgive is YOU having personal control over your own life — instead of giving that control over to the person who hurt you.

This does not mean the offending person is unaccountable for their actions. The goal of forgiveness is to take you from the place of victim to the place of improved health and greater personal power.

You’re probably saying to yourself, “Yes, I’d love to let go of the heavy load I’m carrying around, but forgiving is easier said than done.” You’re absolutely right – forgiveness is probably one of the most difficult things to practice.

Here are seven steps you can follow to help you in your process of forgiving and lead you into reclaiming your life. (You can find more steps at The Worldwide Forgiveness Alliance, a non-profit, tax-exempt educational foundation dedicated to evoking the healing power of forgiveness worldwide.)

1. In order to start the process of forgiveness, you must first acknowledge your anger, fear, resentment, and grief. Your feelings are justified and should not be minimized.

2. Recognize that to dwell on your negative feelings will do serious damage your physical and emotional health.

3. Understand that forgiveness does not condone the behavior that has brought you pain nor does it allow you to be abused.

4. Accept that you are responsible for your own feelings and it is up to you to heal your pain.

5. Make a choice to release the anger, sadness, grief, and fear your feeling by seeking appropriate professional help.

6. Make the decision to forgive the person who harmed you.

7. Remember you are forgiving the other person in order to free yourself from unnecessary pain and suffering — not the other way around.

Practicing these steps can help you reduce anger, hurt, depression and stress and lead you on the path toward physical and emotional strength and well-being.

Remember forgiveness is for you –- for your health, overall wellness, and quality of life. It’s not for the offending person.

You, and only you, can make the choice to take off the lead boots, un-strap the heavy sack filled with anger, resentment, and pain and start living your life free of the past.