The Aspects
~ C ~ R ~ A ~ B ~
~ C ~
Courage
You must be courageous in order to be the best version of yourself. You must be willing to be uncomfortable and vulnerable. Growing is uncomfortable. It requires you to consider things in a way that you have not before, and with this comes the discomfort of knowing that prior to this moment you have been ignorant of this perspective/information. We are all on our Infinity Journey, there are no short cuts. Remember the words of Nelson Mandela ‘Courage is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it’.
Care
Care for yourself
We all require care and nurture. The best person to provide this for us is ourselves. No one else has this responsibility to us. No one else knows our wants and needs. Take the classic aeroplane example of fitting your own oxygen mask before helping others. The same is true in life. We can take much better care of others if we take good care of ourselves first. Keeping your body clean and groomed, active (not sedentary), hydrated and well nourished (beware of food like substances) is vital. Your body is your temple. Your body is the means to which all interaction with the world outside of yourself depends. Treat it as such. Value your body, love your body, and appreciate your body.
Extreme and unrelenting indulgence occupies this modern world. We are surrounded and often infringed upon by the promise of happiness in the form of food, gambling, shopping and pornography to name a few. Every time we eat or drink we are given the opportunity for indulgence on a massive scale. Whereas our bodies were not designed for large and frequent doses of sugar, salt and fat on a daily basis, this is the world we find ourselves in. The success of these industries is dependent upon the response of neurotransmitters in our brains flooding our minds with dopamine, noradrenaline and serotonin. It also depends upon tolerance, which means that over time more and more exposure is required to illicit the same response. This leaves industry announcing record profits and people suffering. Few know that there is in fact a considerable difference between pleasure and happiness. Pleasure is by its very nature, a short-lived physical response. Happiness in contrast is known as flow and is the absence of feeling, often brought about by occupying the space between ability/skill and challenge.
Care for others
As social beings we thrive on positive interactions with others. It makes us feel good when we are kind to others. It makes others feel good when we graciously accept their kindness. Being dependent on others is a necessary part of being human for everyone of us. Without exception during our earliest years, with possibility if we are fortunate enough to live a long and healthy life and quite likely at intervals inbetween. We need not wait for injury, illness or other negative events. People flourish when you show them kindness and you should make a habit of doing so at every opportunity. A smile, a kind word or a thoughtful gesture go a long way towards the wellbeing of others and reinforce the positive thoughts and feelings we have about ourselves. If we want to invest in our own health and wellbeing we must do the same for others. We must always keep in mind that we are all on our Infinity Journey and that by the grace and goodness of others we are who we are today.
Care for Mother Nature
Mother Nature does not require us to benefit her, and for most of her existence we could not have survived upon her. We on the other hand, have a very small range of tolerance on many of Mother Nature’s systems, from the quality of the air, to the soil, to the fresh water and great oceans. If we seek to benefit from the bounty she affords us, and even the very possibility of our survival, we do require Mother Nature to be maintained in her human friendly form. This undoubtably means that the 7.8 billion of us today will have to both get by and thrive on less – MUCH less.
Consider
Consider your motivations. Why are you thinking, speaking, behaving that way? Is it helping you to get closer to where you want to go? Is it helping you to be who you want to be? Are you doing it for the benefit of the other person, or for yourself? We cannot be our best selves without regularly asking ourselves this question.
~ R ~
Responsible
You are responsible for yourself, how you interact with and respond to the world around you. This fact is completely independent of others, their words and their actions.
Rise
Rise above your past and your failings. The Italian proverb ‘Don’t allow perfection to be the enemy of progress’ perfectly captures the essence of this aspect. We must not allow negative thoughts and feelings about mistakes that we have made to prevent us from being the best that we can be now.
Radiate
Allow yourself to shine and in doing so give others permission to do the same. Be the light. Eschew arrogance and remember that we are all on our own Infinity Journey.
~ A ~
Acknowledge
Acknowledge your strengths, what you are capable of overcoming. Regularly take the time to acknowledge what you have done well. Positive affirmations build a strong foundation on which we can continue to lift ourselves up. It is also usually to have examples on hand of some of the most difficult times we have overcome in our lives to build confidence in our ability to overcome difficult times ahead.
Acquiesce
Acquiesce those people and situations that you find difficult to accept can be accepted with reluctance but without protest. As water can create a canyon overtime, so to can regular challenges erode our confidence, happiness and/or motivation to do better. As difficult as it can be to accept the choices and actions of certain people or even situations that are beyond our control, we simply cannot protest without surrendering our peace of mind. Therefore, it is important to take the time to acknowledge what is challenging us and actively work towards accepting them as they are with reluctance, but without protest. Referring to the Infinity Journey can be particularly beneficial to this process.
Appreciate
Take the time to appreciate the beauty and wonder that surrounds you, the kindness and generosity of others. Gratitude is a well-known practice and its significance cannot be underestimated. Spend time at least once each day appreciating the good and from time to time write them down so that you can refer to them during those difficult moments.
~ B ~
Breathe
An involuntary function of our bodies, and yet when we bring our attention to our breathing, we create a physiological reaction. Find the number that works for you to count your breath in, then pause, then count your breath out. Keep in mind the number may change depending on your circumstances at the time. Simply recognise the count that suits you best in the moment and bring your attention to your breathing as often as benefits your wellbeing.
Be
Through the work of Martin Seligman and other positive psychologists, we have learnt about flow. Unlike pleasure, which is short-lived by its very nature, flow allows us to become so engaged in the activity at hand that many hours can pass in what feels like minutes. Flow is the meeting place of the challenge before us and our ability to what is required. Too easy we are bored, too hard we are disengaged. For some people there may be just one interest or activity through which they find their flow. For others there may be a variety of interests or activities either at any one time or over the course of their lives. Flow is essential to being our best selves and of giving our best to others. If you have not found yours yet, begin the search. If you do know, then ensure you are allocating enough time to follow your pursuit.
Belong
You belong to Mother Nature. Wherever possible get into contact with nature. From fresh air, to water to soil and sunshine. There is an endless supply of strength and satisfaction to be found in Mother Nature. This effect can be magnified by contributing to wellbeing of Mother Nature.
As with valuing our inherent dependence on Mother Nature, it is also important to find people you belong with. People that accept you or perhaps challenge you in a way that allows you to bloom. People with whom you can share your thoughts and challenges and hear theirs in return. Belonging is essential to our personal growth and wellbeing, and with the technology many of us have at our fingertips there has never been an easier time in human history to connect.