Weathering Life’s Storms
Building the foundations of a personal philosophy
A personal philosophy is an internal guide, an inner muse. It’s a set of principles that we think about deeply and come to have a visceral relationship with. A set of thoughts and feelings that we act upon whenever we are presented with a choice.
Should I go out and exercise as I intended or just loaf on the sofa a little longer? Our internal philosophy around health and exercise will influence our choice.
Developing a set of habits and routines to improve our health will be easier and more effective when supported by a well-developed health philosophy. A set of cohesive beliefs that have been contemplated over a long period of time. Beliefs that strengthen every time we live by them and become deeper every time they are challenged.
“The wind howls, but the mountain remains still” so goes the Japanese proverb.
An inner calm, an unshakable stillness derived from a ‘lived’ philosophy and strength of character - an embodied set of principles developed through a contemplative lived experience keeping us rooted to the ground. A stillness we can rely on amidst the howling chaos of everyday life.
If we don’t think about our philosophy, if we don’t talk about it with friends, if we don’t refer to it when making choices - then our goals and aspirations will lack foundation, and we will be blown off our path by the winds of everyday circumstance.
“The unexamined life is not worth living” - Socrates
Without a solid philosophical foundation, our intentions become as weak as the convictions of a modern politician, or as delicatee as the dandelion seed, blown by the winds of temptation or adversity. A well-developed personal philosophy acts as an anchor to keep us grounded, or a rudder to keep us straight even when life's storms threaten to blow us off course.