Last Friday, I went to the latest Creative Mornings event with guest speaker Nora McInerny Purmort, founder of the nonprofit Still Kickin‘, blogger at My Husband’s Tumor, and author of the book, It’s Okay to Laugh (Crying Is Cool, Too).

The topic of the discussion was all about time — how there’s never enough time, there’s never a right time and there’s never a good time. Time is something that we think about every day, because we have to “balance” it – making sure we are spending time doing our work well, making time to hang out with our family and friends, making time to pay our bills and making time to have fun. It’s an interesting topic to think about, really – especially in the midst of the Christmas season. In the past few months, I’ve been busy, like the rest of the people in the world. I’ve been spending my time doing a lot of things. But there are two pretty cool things that I’ve done.

I got married.

That’s right, folks: a shiny new name and all. For the past 11 months, I spent time getting engaged, planning the wedding of my dreams, going to bridal showers, bachelorette parties, and being showered with love from everyone in my life. Not to say there aren’t some headaches that go along with the whole wedding-planning process, but all in all, my time in the past 11 months has been pretty awesome. And the best part? I got a new hubby out of the deal, and he’s amazing. I feel so lucky.

Now, I get to spend as much time as we’re given on this Earth with Adam – chasing life’s adventures and dreams, supporting each other through the hard times, and laughing at each other’s really dumb jokes. Most of all, I’m going to take Nora’s advice, and not live like we are dying — just live, together.

I planned a really cool event for work.

This fall, one of our clients, Gold Peak Tea had a contest for a military family to win a trip home for the holidays. The winner, Daphne Reed, her husband David, and their two children won the trip to surprise Daphne’s family in Belleville, Ohio. It was my job to plan the dinner event, where the surprise would take place. It was a magical evening, full of tears, laughs and warm hearts, and was most certainly a wonderful thing to be part of this holiday season — reminding me how lucky I am to celebrate the holidays with my family.

During the last part of Nora’s speech Friday, she told us, “Don’t spending time doing sh** you don’t want to do.” I’ve been lucky in the past year, getting to do things I love, with people I love. Enjoy your time, and don’t live like you’re dying. Live doing things you love, with people you love.

Happy holidays.