ECHO CHAMBERS OF SANITY

Preparation and grooming

Don’t laugh! I would climb Mt. Everest if I could take a hot shower before daily assents. Call it ionization, improving circulation, or hygiene – I consider this ritual a sacred “reboot” of my systems to produce vitality and restore my factory settings.

Grooming and how I dress reflects my sense of dignity. This notion may have fallen out of favor, however to present myself as how I want to be regarded by others anchors self-respect and social responsibility. It was once regarded as the hallmark of being a Gentleman.

Exercise and conditioning

Without health and vitality, the rest of my life would be severely compromised. This is especially true as years unfold and reveal what I take for granted: the invisible foundation of well-being.

I learned that daily vigorous exercise is the essential pre-condition for contributing to sustainable health. Dedication, planning, and discipline renew my daily triumph of will over inertia.

What I put in my mouth effects what comes out of my mouth – thoughts, emotions, and ideas. It is an evolving formula to find right individual balance here. Overcoming my addictions and mindless eating habits requires overriding cravings that seemingly own me. “Eat light, feel right!”

Social outreach and shared ideation

Friends are hard to find and even harder to nurture over time. The longer I live, I feel an increasingly brittle separation from connections once effortlessly established in my formative years.

I actively develop communication with family and long established friends. This takes intent and outreach. I have learned, sometimes painfully, if I want friends I must be a friend. When I think of someone, I now act to translate that random notion into caring emails or calls, invitations, acknowledgements.

I look for opportunities to set-up personal meetings to share quality ideas with existing acquaintances, or cultivate new relationships. The key for me is to engage with others without attempting to “get” something from them, or conduct a transaction. The simple joy of sharing ideas and receiving the perspective of others, without wanting to change them, is satisfying and enlivening.