I remember a sage once told me that my life was to be walking one of Saturn’s squares. Loosely translated she meant that I would need to work hard and be patient for a long.. long.. time.
It’s taken quite a long time, probably the first 26 (nearing 31 this month) years of my life but I’ve become rather good at being patient. It doesn’t mean I don’t lose it from time to time, but I’m able to swing in some Zen harmonies more often than naught.
I found my way through with many systems. Have few friends and make them the best friends. Keep the temple of yourself in check through working out. Find a way to keep your mind clean and clear.
To achieve greatness isn’t necessarily hard, but it does require patience and persistence.
Relationships
We are social creatures that get out of hand when we have too little or too much interaction. Over the years I’ve had ample friends and acquaintances; when I look back I can only see derived value from those who had similar passions and goals as myself.
If you have a ring of people who are draining you emotionally due to their needs and it’s not helping nurture you’re own needs; over time this can foster social delinquencies which usually end in spite. Who needs that?
>friend
a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection
Foster those you connect with and cherish them. Let those who do not mesh well with you fall away. In your life you will cross the path of thousands of individuals. Stay open in knowing that you will find others that will support you as you will support them.
Stay Fit
>Purity Through Sweat
I’ve used that motto for years. When I realized I was overweight–probably 9 years ago–I began what would be one of the longest things I’ve ever stuck with, working out. It began without any instruction; then when I wasn’t getting the results I wanted I became my own trainer. Going through the [ACE](http://www.acefitness.org/) program taught me so much about who we are and how we operate.
As I shed the pounds I also shed the fears I had accumulated like a rotten onion. The better I felt, the taller I walked, the happier I was. It’s been a roller-coaster of goals I’ve set over the years but when it comes down to it if I don’t get a good sweat in at least twice a week I begin to get very irritable.
We take a lot in, whether it’s our nutritional choices to the stresses of life. Keeping up a good regiment of physical activity helps purge and keep level a lot of these things. I’ve said many many times that knowing we are [thermodynamic](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laws_of_thermodynamics) machines if we don’t help find balance our bodies will do very odd and generally unpleasant things to us to find it’s own accord.
Mental Clarity
Who doesn’t want mental clarity? Being trapped in a mental rat race is no joy yet most of us are doing just that. It takes a lot less work than you’d think, but it does take persistence and a desire to as the [Delphi inscription](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Know_thyself) read ‘Know Thyself‘.
What you find is a lot of people don’t like themselves, and this creates an open loop which is filled by a lot of irrational behavior because of a fear of self and almost always a greater fear of change.
Find a way to love yourself. The words are almost cliche these days but it’s true. No one can hurt you if you own yourself. It’s hard to explain how to do this but the roots of it are taking responsibility for yourself. If you don’t like an aspect of yourself, accept it or change it.
>Be granted the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and to have the wisdom to know the difference…
That’s half the equation right there. The rest of the puzzle is just clearing the cob-webs of daily life from your mind just like working out does. Practice [Yoga](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga), [breathing exercises](http://cas.umkc.edu/casww/brethexr.htm), even a [Pzziz](http://www.pzizz.com/) moment is worth it.
If your mind is found twittering about on daily todo’s and not allowing you to find stillness you might want to look into David Allen’s [Getting Things Done](http://www.davidco.com/what_is_gtd.php) so that you can empty your head enough so that you can enjoy some peace. I’ve also found an amazing resource in [skydiving](http://www.dropzone.com). Clearing your head with a leisurely fall from 13,500ft can do wonders for you. haha!
It’s a Long Road
Life’s a crazy journey. I’ve fallen in love with it’s chaortic idiosyncratic strangeness. I don’t fight what comes my way. It’s accepted, analyzed and solved for. I encourage all of you to stay nimble and stay open to the worlds possibilities. Be honest with yourself and the ones around you.
Let’s all try and make something great with what we can. If you can look back and say, “I did the best I could at the time with what I knew”, you’re doing A.ok!