yourintrinsicself

Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy wealthy and wise.

Late to bed and early to rise makes a man crazy and reddens his eyes.

Late to bed and late to rise makes a man hazy and missed the prize.

Early to bed and late to rise makes a man lazy and full of sighs.

Indivisible reality?

I was once told that reality is flawed, because any distance between two points can be divided into an infinite number of smaller distances. Nothing can cross an infinite number of distances, no matter how small, therefore reality is flawed. Supposedly this came from Einstein.

But it's not reality that's flawed, it's mathematics! Math beautifully captures most of reality in some way, but falls short in this particular circumstance. I think Einstein know this well. Let us keep in mind that the map is never actually the territory.

Fear – Courage = Paralysis Courage – Fear = Numbness Fear + Courage = Confidence

Delayed gratification and procrastination

There was a famous research study conducted years ago that involved young children and cookies. If the child could wait with a cookie in front of them, then they got another cookie. Apparently the children who delayed gratification, and thus got an extra cookie, were more successful later in life.

I judge myself to be good at delaying gratification, both by my nature and by my training. But at times this seems to intersect with an adult tendency to procrastinate. Sure one in the hand are better than two in the bush, but what if I believe I have a plan to get the two in the bush? The plan suddenly becomes more attractive than one in the hand, even though it is not yet realized.

Where are you living in plans instead of the present reality?

Reactive and Generative Prosperity

My work on prosperity continues. I was raised to count every dollar and every penny, cut coupons, find deals, and save money at all costs.

My first step away from scarcity was into reactive prosperity. I had enough because I knew how much I had and how much I needed and wanted. I could be generous because I had enough calculated out to be able to give a portion of it.

I'm now exploring what I would call generative prosperity. I have enough because of my faith in my ability to provide, and I give because it is who I am. My generosity is more closely tied to my self-worth than my net-worth, and my giving is more about who I am than what I do. This is still very much a work in progress.

Have you ever lived in scarcity? Where is your prosperity reactive when it could be generative?

Unexplainable Lessons

In the past few years I have learned and grown immensely. Perhaps above all else, the largest steps I've taken toward truth, faith, and peace seem to be the least explainable.

They read like Zen koans. Many fit under the Socratic wisdom of, “They who know they do not know are the wisest among us.”

Where are your profound life lessons leading you to new levels of meaningful uncertainty and unexplainable truth?

Interconnectedness

When you put two items into water, they become somehow more proximate to one another. Imagine two people swimming together; They are somehow more connected than if they were simply standing in a room.

When you put two items into fire, they somehow become more mixed with one another. Imagine placing paper and metal into a fire; They meld into one another as the flame takes them both.

When you bury two items into the earth, they somehow become more a part of the ground together. Imagine two beloved past pets buried in your backyward; They are somehow both parts of the same space.

When you put two items in the same air, they still somehow become more a part of one another! We don't think of it often, but we share air regularly with trees, animals, and other human beings.

Who are you sharing air with today, and how might that bring the two of you closer to one another?

Habits and practices

Habits are patterns that we condition ourselves into following. They are largely unconscious and automated.

Practices are patterns that we consciously choose each time. They require commitment and discipline, because only conscious decision can keep them alive.

Where are you building habits? Where are you cultivating practices?

Love in a word

Love is a beautiful word, but sometimes I wish it were more specific. Do I really love both my shoes and my daughter with the same verb? Seems like different words for each object of affection would be more suitable. But perhaps the single word helps us all to see the love in ways large and small.

Who or what do you love?

Infant Reminders

I am fortunate enough to have an infant child to call my own. She teaches me remarkable lessons about life and gratitude.

A few days ago I took her swimming in a pool for the first time. The next time we were near that same pool she suddenly said, “SWM!” Her vowel seemed to be missing, but the fact that she remembered both the word and the location was nothing short of stunning.

I walk around every day aware of where I am and using words to label the world around me. But only when my little one did that same thing did I realize how remarkable that skill is.

What simple thing could a child remind you to see as remarkable in your life?