Happiness can not be bought

A calm mind, a fit body, and a house full of love.  

These things must be earned.

Freedom from…

Another kind of freedom we need to live a happy life is freedom from internal torments – guilt, doubt, worry, fear, etc.

This is up to us.  Internal problems are just as problematic as external ones. 

Good character is necessary to avoid mistakes large and small.  Self-discipline and working to build our capabilities to contribute boosts our self-reliance and ability to come through for ourselves.  And working on our own physical, mental and emotional health, each as a skill to be unpacked, learned about and understood, will go a long way for us to be free.

Freedom to….

Freedom is one of those incredibly valuable things that you don’t appreciate until you lose it.  That’s why we have to continually tak about it to others and to young people.  The whole world is not a freedom fantasy land.  Men can be evil when given the power to do so.  History shows us lots of examples.

Our country was founded by men who tried to prevent this from happening here.  They wrote it up the best they could, and they and others since have warned us of the dangers creeping in.  And, they were right.  They are creeping in.

In the US, we have the freedom to do what we want.  This is an amazing freedom.  In exercising it, we find if we don’t contribute to others, we won’t get many rewards (money) and limit our options to do things that cost money.  So many of us work hard and smart making a contribution to others they will pay for, and other people decide they don’t want to do that.   

That’s freedom.  Freedom does not produce equal outcomes for all.  But the alternative (socialism, in all its forms) produces equally shared misery.

Freedom to do with our lives what we want.  Wow.  That’s awesome.

Do you know what you want?

God bless the people who know what they want and go for it.  They get started in the right path for them and through the magic of compound interest, get really good at it earlier in life.

Some people don’t know what they want.  Some say they know and get on a path and change their mind a few years later, only to do it again.

Some young people, who have grown up without adversity in a world of abundance with a myriad of opportunities, have no idea what they really want to do.  Life is easy and no great passion has been ignited.

You have to find your own path.  Not everyone will know when they get a diploma in their hand.  I think it’s unrealistic for many to be able to choose a major at age 18 that they will stick with for the long term. 

If you don’t know what your path will be to use your talent to make a contribution to the world, which is necessary to feel good about yourself and to prosper,  then try things.  I don’t mean picking any old job and see what happens.  I mean purposefully think – do I like to work with my hands or my mind?  Do I like to work with others or alone?  Inside or outside?   What is my special talent – something I’d do if I wasn’t being paid?   Does the world need that in some form it will pay for?  What careers fit?

Then seek out people who have those jobs now.  Go interview them.  Sounds weird?  I bet 9 out of 10 that get a call from you say “Sure, I’ll talk to you about what my job is like each day”.  You can shadow them at their work and see what it is REALLY like before you spend years learning and pursuing it.

We’re talking about a career, but it could be a hobby or passion outside of work.   Either way, don’t sit there and wait for inspiration to answer such an important question.  Pursue the question as actively as you’d pursue the answer when you discover it.  And don’t forget, it may be right in front of you, or very close.

No matter your age now, it’s up to you to find what fits your talent, ignites your passion and unlocks your genius.  Try things – lots of things, choosing and discarding along the way.  Clarity will save years.

You’re a genius – in something.  Find it.

Exercise = Weights + Cardio + Rest

To live well and long we need a good strong body, because if the body dies, it doesn’t matter how good your mind was.  The body was made for a different time.  A time when we needed to do much more physical things than most of us who have white collar jobs do now.  The body doesn’t do very well sitting and being sedendary.

So we must exercise.  What does that mean exactly?  Resistance training – lifting heavy things and putting them down.  Use different parts of your body.  You don’t have to kill yourself.  Do what is work but not weight that will hurt you for your fitness level.

But that’s not all.  This alone won’t necessarily get our heart rate up.  So we need to do that too.  Cardio – run or bike or something that will get your heart rate up and have you sweating and breathing for 20 minutes or more three times a week. 

Lastly, we need rest.  Don’t work out every day.  Let your body rebuild and respond to what you are asking of it.  If you exercise right, you get stronger on rest days.

If you find a hobby or sport or activity you love that fits the weight lifting requirement or the cardio requirement that’s great.  I have property and like to go into the woods with a chainsaw.  That’s a great workout and I am doing something productive.  Some people have jobs that are workouts.  Some people play soccer or tennis or basketball. 

Stay healthy and live longer.  The time to think about it is now and every day, not at a premature end.

Exercise = Weights + Cardio + Rest.

Health = Diet + Exercise + Sleep

Health = Diet + Exercise + Sleep

That’s the formula.  How would you say you are doing?

Do you eat right?  I do fairly well.  I don’t eat much bread or sugar, but I can always do better.  I don’t have snacks in the house.  Eating better while traveling is something I need to work on. 

Do you exercise?  I do good here, but cardio has been lacking some since I had my knee replaced.  I am doing better at avoiding injury while exercising.

Do you sleep enough?  I could go to sleep earlier.  Eating earlier will help.  I do catch up on sleep when I’m behind.  Being behind on sleep is the number one thing that dings my performance.  I can do better in getting enough sleep while traveling.  I manage my energy with food and get home from trips exhausted.

Health = Diet + Exercise + Sleep

If we can do well in these three areas, we will feel better, do better and avoid many ailments and diseases.

Happiness = Health + Wealth + Good Relationships

This is a formula from a book I read recently.

To qualify the wealth part, I’d say you have enough money to make your life work well.

Can you argue?

How are you doing?

What is a great movie for me to watch?

I like inspirational movies.  I like a great story.  I like to be moved emotionally.

A great love story is good.  A war movie with an inspirational story is great.  I don’t watch too many movies, and I don’t like to waste two hours.  What movies that fit this bill do you recommend?  Share and tell us.

Here are some of my favorites of all time – 

Braveheart, 42, Seven Years a Slave, Gettysburg, Schindlers List.

How good of a parent are you?

How good of a parent you are depends on how your kids turn out.

This is not necessarily related to how good of a parent you wanted to be or how much effort you put in.

You can try really hard to be a great parent but raise kids who are not very strong, resilient, confident or whatever else.

Parenting is a skill like any other, and not automatically known because you have a child.  

It can be learned.  Study up!

Stupid Hurts

If you’re going to be stupid, you better be tough.

Work hard and be tough anyway, but why make it harder on yourself?

Think it through.