Seva :Revisited:

Though a smile is little work, its effects are long lasting-

Generosity is no longer the selfless act I’ve long thought it to be  Generosity is a natural confidence builder and a natural repellent of self-hatred. Not only does generosity make us feel better about ourselves, but it actively combats feelings of competitiveness, isolation and despair. I have a hunch that many of you reading this morning are equally as competitive as I used to be, and when this “competitiveness” gets the better of you? Depression and self-doubt slowly creeps in.

Why do I keep racing? My split times suck and there is no way I can shave six seconds of my PR!

Do you honestly want to hear my solution to a problem that has gripped so many of us? Brace yourselves then Volunteer.

Volunteering is simply amazing! Needless to say I do receive quite a few blank stares when I share with someone: Volunteering your time will drastically improve your performance. Here’s how: Volunteering empowers you with a sense of value and purpose, while being in a social environment. Hmm, lets read that again  Volunteering empowers you with a sense of Value and Purpose, while being in a social environment – This sounds like a fun event to participate in!

There is not much value lamenting a poor performance, nor is there purpose to be found pushing through to the finish, of “whatever.

Daily Meditation:

By Cultivating generosity through volunteering, we allow ourselves the space and time needed to be more sensitive to ourselves, and to give ourselves more Value and Purpose. In addition, when we are in a giving state? We are naturally more relaxed, tuned into the beautiful world around us, and living in the present moment.

This state of being is contagious – Pay it forward.

The TL/DR version of this post: Improve your performance by volunteering.

CultFit Gratitude


Salute Your Solution

What is a friend? A single soul dwelling in two bodies-

The great discovery in life as we age (age not to be confused with mature …) is how much better, more fulfilling life becomes.

We spend much of our youth searching for “something” in the clouds of insecurity, trying to figure out exactly how to live. As turbulent time passes we gather slowly, more about our aims and preferences. Comparing ourselves to others diminishes, we know where our heart lies and our flight path is marked moving forward.

The search for meaning carries on throughout our entire life, although as we age, the deeper spiritual questions we have become more urgent and become more clear to us. The daily petty concerns that surround us are recede to their rightful place – unnoticed and forgotten. The wide-ranging emotions all of us have experienced this week, awakens our spiritual domain and delicately shows us what really matters in life.

The radiance we witness in the “older folk” comes from smiling and being more alive. We stop hurrying to every fleeting meeting we have scheduled, slowing down we develop attentiveness that adds an entire new flavour, richness to our daily experiences.

Notes:
 Awareness of our mortality conveys a sense of immediacy, your time here today is precious  … Take care this weekend and please be well.
CultFit Lighthouse

Red Light

A kiss is a lovely trick designed by nature to stop speech when words become superfluous-

The little things in life. The sound of your cleats clicking purposely into your pedals, the wash of riding through a freshly formed puddle, the sound of tree branches playing briskly in the wind, are music to my ears.

The little things in life. The sound of silence during an early morning run, the gentle flight of seeing the first blue jay of spring, an optimistic robin persuades me to perform an aria with her during the final miles.

The little things in life. The sound of your wife blow drying her hair early on a Saturday morning, the snap of an eyeliner case, the sound of shaking an empty bottle of hand lotion, truly music to my ears. The continuo: the little one’s bedroom door opening sneakily and shutting with a giggle, a gust of wind across the siding, the last drop of coffee pouring into a porcelain cup. The little things are what we remember of this Life.

The large events in our personal lives have their place as well. Finishing and running a personal best 10k, belonging in the lead group before the start of a marathon, finishing your first century ride of the year. However, even the large events are assembled craftily from many little “things“. The rush to the local emergency room and the stillness of the air in such a sterile environment, the brave face you try to present to the caring staff, the small choked cry and the sound of tears dropping with purpose on a medical tray, the snap of a joint being dutifully put back into place, the sound of thread being pulled through the wound, the way your loved one holds your hand tight. The little things.

Notes:

These little things we neglect, are Everything.

CultFit Street