Life is actually very simple. The hard part is allowing it to be that way. This article briefly describes the 7 areas of our lives to which we should pay constant attention. Having ideals in these 7 areas and learning to move toward those ideals in a regular and balanced way can provide a powerful sense of meaning and purpose. This article is meant to help people see this more simply and clearly and to prod them in that direction.
You can choose constant growth and development. You can choose ever-increasing peace and love and joy. However, if you do, it requires that you are also willing to be patient and to improve in a balanced way. Along the way you must be willing to face the fears and anxieties associated with the letting-go of negative habits. You must also be willing to allow the redefinition of less than ideal relationships.
In the midst of these changes, it is very helpful to have a simple system by which you can monitor your progress while diving into your improvement and idealism. Outlined below is a simplified look at the 7 different areas of life to which you should pay regular attention.
Life is actually very simple. The hard part is allowing it to be that way.
QUIET TIME 101
The most basic, essential ingredient in a happy and successful life is the habit of regular quiet time. Yet how many people have made the continued development of this habit a daily priority? People who put this time above the urgency of more mundane needs inevitably develop more peace and love and joy within. How important is the mastery of this subject to you?
EXERCISE 101
A habit of daily exercise supports physical well-being. Is your routine designed to nurture a body that is balanced, flexible, and strong? Is your routine designed to develop a body with outstanding cardiovascular endurance? Will you be able to enjoy your exercise routine in the later years of your life? Establish the habit of daily exercise because your body truly is your temple.
EATING 101
Eating habits often reflect the family in which we were raised. Did we learn to say grace? Were healthy meals and desserts prepared with lots of love? Or did we learn to gobble cookies in order to ease excessive anxiety? Why we eat, what we eat, and how we eat are intimately related to physical, material, and spiritual well-being.
VOCATION 101
Serve others in a way that is deeply fulfilling. Experiment until discovering work that suits your natural inclinations. From there, continuously develop to be the very best that you can be, and never stop growing in your field of choice. When we marry natural abilities with the discipline of intelligent effort, we do more than earn a living - we learn to practice work as a type of sacred play.
RECREATION 101
Spontaneity is a must! Isn’t it rejuvenating to wander in a new place or to engage in conversation with a new face? Isn’t it wonderful to allow ourselves to learn something new for no apparent reason? A game of catch can take us away from difficult problems and magically make way for surprise solutions. Have you learned how to make time for recreation in a balanced way?
RELATIONSHIPS 101
Relationships with others are a reflection of relationship with Self. Isn’t that an incredibly important subject to constantly explore? Learn to use the language of self-responsibility and make a study of your life. Develop superior communication skills and establish a truly interdependent personality. In relationships, each individual’s unique life journey comes alive.
SLEEP 101
Most people sleep 6-8 hours each day. That’s a lot of time dedicated to something most of us don’t think much about! Deep, regular, and restful sleep can be learned. For some it’s natural, but for others it requires practice. Either way, healthy sleeping habits are extremely beneficial and unhealthy ones can be a symptom of illness. What are your sleeping habits saying about you?
The importance of these life “subjects” must be acknowledged. They are foundational. Do you have an ultimate ideal in mind in each of these areas? Are you working toward those ideals in a balanced, consistent, and determined way? Doing so creates deep meaning and purpose that last a lifetime. What are you waiting for?!
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