Truth Seekers (192/365)

The giddy nature of risks:
At once dreadful and enticing
Fear of the unknown can cripple and stifle.
The courage to be open to a wider truth,
To step out the front door of your cozy little box
Into a world beyond control where anything might manifest,
Offers great rewards to the full-blooded optimist,
Who sees rainbows through raindrops;
Reflections in puddles.
The risk is certain to yield dividends
Yet unnamed
And blessings to all who host her Highness in humility

The vital

"The vital is an indispensable instrument – no creation or strong action is possible without it. It is simply a question of mastering it and of converting it into the true vital which is at once strong and calm and capable of great intensity and free from ego."
-Sri Aurobindo

Humble Yourself (189/365)

If you had the courage to go naked for one day
Admit you didn’t know it all
And wander humbly toward the East
Staying alert for mind-bending soul-snatchers
You might be pleasantly surprised
And find yourself sufficiently nourished by the delightful taste of truth
At every vendor
A sensation you recognized from a long time ago
But since veiled in thick metal armour
And armed with a sword of fear
Stabbing perilously at any perceived threat
To its own confidence and superiority
Building castles and recruiting soldiers in the name of God
Is it any wonder why the rest of the world distrusts us?

Resolutions 2010

I reviewed last year’s resolutions and updated a new list for this year. I’ve found it useful to make one long list of everything you want your life to look like, then break it into manageable chunks like those below. You may not do them all, but this list has helped me make major changes year-to-year. I hang it in a place I can see it daily (work, home, and computer desktop).
Monthly:
  • Read 1 new book per month
  • Plan business paperwork time & monthly analysis time
  • Monthly conference calls & outings 6 per year with tenants
  • Monthly massage
  • Save money & not take it out of savings
  • Meet up with local friend once per month
  • Talk with distant friend once per month
  • One yoga class per month


Weekly:
  • Swim one day per week minimum
  • Lift weights 2-3x/week
  • Go grocery shopping regularly every week
  • Volunteer 2 hours/week
  • Do laundry regularly
  • Massage or teach yoga to someone


Daily:
  • Hatha yoga & meditate (or read spiritual texts) twice daily
  • Prepare meals for next day in advance
  • Eat salad 3x/week minimum
  • Get up 2 hours before I have to leave the house
  • 1 hour of exercise
  • Minimum one blog entry daily – personal
  • Minimum one blog entry daily – coaching
  • Daily vitamins
  
Annual (within 2010):
  • Learn to do a back handspring
  • Continue formal education in track & field, yoga, and massage by taking at least 1 workshop of each
  • Become certified in personal training & CPR
  • Sign up for a college class or study Chinese regularly
  • Keep hair looking nice
  • Go to 4 concerts minimum
  • Take surf lesson
  • Visit Bozeman
  • Visit Mom & Dad
  • Visit Ryan
  • Visit NYC or travel internationally
  • Join & go to church regularly
Qualities I wish to embody:
  • Respond, not react