4 Foundation Stones of a Strong and Beautiful Life
As the architect of your destiny, build something to be proud of and for the benefit of all.
Do you sometimes feel stuck in life?
Have you ever stopped to think about the height of your potential, and whether you are achieving the most that you can from your abilities?
I’ve emphatically had a ‘yes’ answer to both of the above questions. What I discovered was in order to get out of my existential rut and start actualizing my potential I had to try to understand the core reasons for personal growth and why it is important. These four “foundation stones” are by no means the complete list, which is why I don’t consider them cornerstones, but it is my belief that working on and developing these traits will bring you into being your full, true self. I’ve listed them in chronological order, meaning, that if you put a sincere effort into developing the first attribute, the second one will come more easily as a result.
- Creativity
Humans are uniquely blessed with the power of imagination. It means we are not just a part of nature, but apart from nature. Life takes on a different dimension when you can contemplate and make something that is not already in the world.
If you have ever entertained the idea of taking up a creative endeavor, but have held back out of apprehension, you need to make this first move. Anything that you can put your individual touch to, whether painting, writing, cooking, woodworking, etc… is something you should be working on and developing. People need time away from the structured and practical matters of daily life, this is done through using imagination freely. When you initially pick up whatever creative hobby you desire, you will start by being playful with it.
A good example might be learning guitar. Buy a cheap guitar, learn three or four chords and the basic C major scale, then just make up a song with what you know.
If you don’t start by unleashing your creativity and using your imagination as a form of entertainment and personal enrichment, the rest of what follows in this article will be tough to accomplish. Without the heart-filling inspiration that comes from learning and engaging in a creative activity, the following virtues will seem like a grind, another chore the world requires from you. So, start with having fun learning a new and creative hobby and the rest will flow from that.
2. Self-reliance
Once you feel the gratification of even small successes with your creativity, it will empower you to want to be a problem-solver. Knowing how to play a Beatles song on guitar, or how to cook a 5-course meal from scratch can embolden a person’s sense of dignity and self-confidence, and with that comes a willingness to take control of more aspects of life.
Self-reliance isn’t about having all of the answers or being completely isolated and independent of others. But it is about gaining an understanding of and holding more responsibility for the things you might take for granted many things that make daily living possible.
It is easy to forget certain things that aid us in our modern existence when they are working as expected. When something goes wrong a person can quickly feel a lack of control over their situation. Having even a little knowledge of a few of the functions of your life can alleviate worry when things go awry, for example, having some basic car maintenance and repair skills can lift some of the stress when you are stranded on the side of the road. Other self-reliance skills would include basic home repair and gardening. Self-reliance creates a resilient spirit, you become someone to be relied upon in troubled times.
3. Discipline
The word discipline like its companion self-control can sometimes be triggering to people. Some treat it as synonymous with being restrained or guilted into “right” behavior. Discipline is really about self-mastery, it’s about owning who you are fully, owning your behavior and intentions as opposed to being subject to them.
Your creativity is your chaos energy, which is good, but if all you have is undirected effort without harnessing it, you end up squandering your potential. If all I ever did was write the way I wanted to in the beginning and never learned to improve it and tighten it up I never would’ve gotten past the stage of writing obscure and incoherent nonsense that no one understands or appreciates. It was fun for a little while and is still fun to do on occasion, but in some respects, that is because I am learning the rules and when to break them.
Once you increase your sense of self-worth through exploring your creativity and becoming more self-reliant, you will begin to understand discipline as a tool, not for your detriment, but for your benefit. And with that, the fourth and most important piece to all of this will begin to flourish.
4. Charity
Charity does not simply mean giving money to your friend’s birthday fundraiser on Facebook(though this is fine). It is about the willful act of making the world a better place. It is about how you conduct yourself at work, at home, and in public. Being aware of even small opportunities to be helpful.
When we think of charity, it is easy to get bogged down and discouraged by the sheer scope of all the serious needs out there. A person can feel as though the only way to have an impact is to throw their weight behind a bigger force, such as a large organization, or a government program working on a specific problem. Of course, these efforts are immensely important and valuable but putting charity in a box that is separated from the other elements of your life means missing chances to directly help friends, family and strangers you encounter every day.
To be a charitable person, tuned into the heartache that’s around you, and being empathetic comes when you grow as an individual. If you are struggling and your cup is empty, it is very difficult to have the capacity to be there for others, which is why it starts with self-love. The key is not to remain in self-love mode. Making yourself whole is how you give of your gifts to the world through kindness, confidence, generosity, and thoughtful self-expression. All of which happens first through creativity, then self-reliance and discipline, and finally the joy of helping others.
