What Will You Do With Your One Wild and Precious Life?

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?" – Mary Oliver

There are some questions that don't demand an immediate answer. Instead, they invite us to pause, to breathe, and to listen more deeply to ourselves. Mary Oliver's famous question is one of those:

"Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?"

For many of us, the honest response is, "I don't know yet." Between responsibilities, expectations, and the pace of daily life, it's easy to lose touch with our own voice. We keep moving, but we're not always sure we're moving in a direction that feels true.

Permission Not to Have It All Figured Out

When we hear a question like this, it can feel big and overwhelming, as if we're supposed to lay out a perfect life plan. But what if this question isn't asking us to know everything? What if it's simply inviting us to become a little more awake to how we are living, right now?

You don't have to map out the next 20 years of your life. You don't have to be crystal clear about your "ultimate purpose." You're allowed to be in process. You're allowed to be curious. You're allowed to grow.

Listening for What Matters Most

Underneath the roles we play and the goals we chase, there are values that quietly guide us—things like connection, integrity, creativity, service, or freedom. When our lives drift too far away from those values, we often feel stuck, drained, or disconnected, even if everything "looks good" on the outside.

Taking time to reflect on Mary Oliver's question is one way of coming home to yourself. You might ask:

• What am I longing for more of in my life right now?
• Where am I saying yes when I really mean no?
• What energizes me? What quietly depletes me?
• How do I want to show up—for myself, for others, and in my work?

These questions aren't about perfection. They're about alignment—bringing your daily choices closer to what truly matters to you.

One Brave, Practical Step at a Time

Living in alignment with your "one wild and precious life" rarely happens in one big leap. It tends to look more like a series of small, courageous decisions: setting a boundary, having an honest conversation, exploring a new opportunity, or simply allowing yourself to rest.

In my work at Living Change Coaching & Consulting, I support individuals and organizations who are ready to move from feeling stuck to living and leading with greater clarity and intention. Together, we:

• Explore the values that matter most to you.
• Identify patterns that may be keeping you in "auto-pilot" mode.
• Clarify what "wild and precious" means in the reality of your life, responsibilities, and hopes.
• Co-create practical steps that move you toward meaningful and sustainable change.

Coaching is not about fixing you. It's about walking alongside you as you reconnect with your own wisdom, courage, and capacity to choose.

An Invitation to Pause and Explore

If Mary Oliver's words stir something in you—curiosity, longing, or even a bit of discomfort—you're not alone. That feeling can be a gentle signal that some part of you is ready for a shift, however small.

I invite you to take a moment today to sit with this question:

What might become possible if I treated my life as truly wild and precious?

If you're ready to explore this further, I would be honored to support you. To learn more or to schedule a time to talk, please visit livingchangecoaching.com.

Living Change Coaching & Consulting Creating spaces for courage, clarity, and change.