“What we achieve inwardly will change outer reality.” – Plutarch
Week Thirty Five
This week you will further refine the discrepancy between where you are now and where you want to be. This gap is the pathway to your future. Do not be daunted by it. Anything that you do to close this gap, however small, is movement in the right direction that supports your growth and the life you wish to lead. If it seems overwhelming take a moment to appreciate all that you have discovered and made progress on thus far and focus on the sub-steps that will support you in reaching your peak.
1) Take time to quantify how you fare in each of the six areas given again below.
a. Rate how you are doing in living a healthy lifestyle that sustains your well-being over time and allows you to be your best self. Use a scale of 0 to 10 with 0 being – not taking this aspect into consideration at all, and 10 being – I have committed to keeping this area of my life in balance, know what is required to do so, and have successfully put it into practice.
b. Write several bullet points indicating the key reasons for your ratings.
c. Add several more bullet point describing your ideal in each of these areas – A way of life that would keep you in adequate reserve if you choose to commit to exertion for short periods of time.
I. Your nutrition and hydration –
Complete neglect 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Full care taken
• I made this rating because …
• My ideal would be …
II. Your rest and relaxation –
Complete neglect 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Full care taken
• I made this rating because …
• My ideal would be …
III. Your body flexion and hygiene –
Complete neglect 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Full care taken
• I made this rating because …
• My ideal would be …
IV. Mentally challenging yourself –
Complete neglect 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Full care taken
• I made this rating because …
• My ideal would be …
V. Nurturing of your spirit –
Complete neglect 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Full care taken
• I made this rating because …
• My ideal would be …
VI. Your connections –
Complete neglect 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Full care taken
• I made this rating because …
• My ideal would be …
Comparing these sets of bullet points, you now have an idea of what you would like to do to renew, maintain, strengthen, and protect your energy resources.
2) What practices would allow you to be in reserve in these areas?
3) What principles do you want to use to dispense the resources your body provides?
4) If you had reserve in each of these areas, how would you behave differently?
You have identified areas of discrepancy between your current experience and your ideal lifestyle for well-being. Getting crystal clear on this gap means you know exactly where you are going and have a measure for the progress you will make. Combined with your discoveries on previous steps, you will know which needs and values to focus on and exactly where your boundaries need strengthening to proactively manage your energy reserves.