The Good Life - 08/02/2023 - Deliberate sailing
Every past life transition has happened without my knowing. I went from child to adult, unexpected; single, to married, to father like a fast train passing through tunnels; from rich man to destitute in a ruinous flash of light; gaijin to project manager on a gambler’s risky throw of the dice. Each of these changes coming as through a hurricane, while I struggled to understand how and what to do, working to keep the ship right against great energies seemingly beyond my control. These life milestones then just happened, sometimes without my notice, as I was simply too busy, distracted, foolish and immature to see life’s episodes and chapters slowly passing me by.
But now, the storm has seemingly stopped... The water is flat and calm and dark with apparent depth. And with the clouds parting, I see now that I was wrong about the time. It isn’t evening, but simply late afternoon, not even 3:00 PM! There’s still plenty of daylight yet to sail. And clear skies with a gentle breeze. Oh, sure, maybe the boat’ll spring a leak and I’ll suddenly sink. But that’s always been an accepted risk.
So now, I’ll go on towards old age no longer unexpected, not letting the big changes happen beyond my control, but instead by my own better steering and by a more decided, directed and experienced way, finding my own more willful course and deliberate route to the end. Why not? The only other option is to just bob around out here like a silly cork waiting for night. So, let’s do this. It should be fun!
It’s time now to get out the maps and the binoculars, the sextant, compass and sails. It’s time to gauge the wind, read the sky, measure the stars and hoist the sails. It’s time now to stop drifting about like the lost sailor I’ve always been, and to instead begin sailing like the more capable captain I have struggled all my life to become.
The Good Life Meditation is my daily recitation and reminder of personal objectives and principles used in pursuit of a purposeful life in spite of a universe of seeming indifference. Learn more about The Good Life at my website GoingAlone.org or by reading my book Going Alone. And visit our Discord at: https://lnkd.in/gFgfGmY6
OBJECTIVES: 1. Be Always Ready to Die 2. Make Good Use of Time and Resources 3. Develop Good and Sound Life Principles 4. Cultivate Good Emotional Reactions 5. Perform Good Actions 6. Recognize True Limits and Opportunity 7. One Thing Slowly
PRINCIPLES: 1. Principle of War 2. Principle of Reason 3. Homunculus 4. Anchorhold 5. Home of Good and Evil 6. Principle of Purpose 7. Atomic Principle 8. Principle of Nature 9. The Pirate Ride 10. Principle of Maturity 11. Social Principle
12. Principle of Family 13. Public Speaking 14. Temperance 15. Life Will Not Go Well 16. The Horror Show 17. That Which Must Be Borne 18. The Feast of Offal 19. Distraction 20. Agency and The Great Indifference 21. The Best Seat in the House 22. The Restless Man 23. The Path of Wildness 24. The Great Life Adventure 25. The Risk of Avoiding Risk 26. Sin and Damnation 27. Complete Oblivion 28. The Season of Philosophy
29. Scriptwriting 30. Bullseye Aim 31. The Uphill Climb 32. Arena and Utility 33. Nothing IS enough 34. The Principle of Fun
#Stoic #Stoicism #StoicPhilosophy
My name is Kurt Bell.
You can learn more about The Good Life in my book Going Alone.
Be safe... But not too safe.