Act now! Or now. It's really never too late.

Act now before it's too late! Do this tonight or you'll miss your chance. Order today. Final sale. Last day, last minute, last chance. Oh the pressure!!! O, season of artifice and hype! It seems that we've succumbed to your seductive insistent call. Yes, certain events happen on a schedule. Christmas Day is the 25th and when the 26th of December arrives you'll have to wait another whole year for another whole Christmas Day. Same with your birthday or any other anniversary (in fact, it's baked right into the word). But does that mean you can't give a gift on any other day? Can't bestow a blessing? Pass on a kind word? Take up a good habit? Of course not.

Take that do-it-now-or-you'll-miss-out message a step further. Have you let this kind of thinking seep into other parts of your life and infect you with regret or nostalgia or sadness?Turn this harping pressure on it's own head. First, know this: Whatever you did do or didn't do, whatever you did say or didn't say in the past is gone. That job opportunity, that relationship, that conversation...all of it is in the past. You can't change anything that has already happened -- bad or good. Our mistakes as well as our moments of glory are behind us. Like it or not. Long gone or just happened. As soon as it's done, it's done. Poof. Gone.

But second, know this: The good news! It's never too late. It's never too late to say I love you. It's never too late to say I'm sorry or I forgive you. It's never too late to ask for forgiveness. It's never too late to quit smoking or start an exercise plan or be a friend. Even if there are physical limits (like December 26th or work obligations or miles between you or years gone by), there's still, and always, an opportunity to do something. You can always act now. You can always change yourself by changing your actions -- now. And, while that does not change the past, you may be surprised to find yourself feeling like it does, or did, or does. How can that even be? Because every choice you make right now quickly becomes the past. Over and over again.

And I'll let you in on a little secret: It may take the world around you a little while to notice how you are "changing the past" by mindfully making choices now. But you don't have to wait for that to happen. You have now. You always have right now. And, now. And, now.

Act now. It's never too late.