“The idea is that flowing water never goes stale, so just keep on flowing.”
― Bruce Lee
Prolong Vitality
On my quarterly self-reflection in solitude, I backpack into the mountains exploring new trails and lakes.
For my most recent trip, I went to a National Forest in California.
To prepare for the trip, I pack the essentials, which includes my water filtered bottle. That’s...
“If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.”
– Mark Twain
Morning Ritual
Unless traveling, I follow my morning ritual religiously to make better decisions throughout my day. Without the help of an alarm clock,...
“We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.”
― Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
The Human Experience
In 2017, when I visited Vietnam, I had the opportunity of rock climbing outdoors.
Since most of my training was indoors, I was excited about this rare chance of climbing on real rocks.
After I had warmed up on...
“Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
― Lao Tzu
The Journey is the Reward
In October 2017, I hiked up Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the lower 48 states in the U.S.
The night before the ascent, I ate a nutritious dinner. Shortly...
“The journey is what brings us happiness, not the destination.”
― Dan Millman
Define Your Interpretation of Success
For most of my life, I defined success based on society’s expectations. Some examples of my former interpretation of success included the following:
The amount of money in my bank account
The type of car I drove
The size of my house
The name brand...
“The best inheritance a parent can give his children is a few minutes of his time each day.”
– O. A. Battista
Loving Support and Presence
On most weekends, I would visit my family, and seeing my niece is one of my favorite parts.
Instantly after seeing me, my niece smiles and calls me uncle. Then she excitedly jumps into my arms and...
“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.”
― Epicurus
When I visited my parents for Christmas and New Year in 2016, I reconnected with someone whom I haven’t seen since high school.
It was early afternoon and I decided to go...
“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation.”
― Henry David Thoreau
Carve Your Own Path
From birth, I was conditioned with beliefs about how I “should” live my life. Born into a family of farmers, I was exposed to a simple lifestyle.
Oblivious to being “poor,” my family and I were content and satisfied with what we had.
But as the exposure...
“All streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. Humility gives it its power. If you want to govern the people, you must place yourself below them. If you want to lead the people, you must learn how to follow them.”
― Lao Tzu
Honor Humility
From a young age, I have constantly been learning. But it has...
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”
― C.G. Jung
Start With the End In Mind
A simple yet powerful mental exercise I do regularly is to review my obituary.
The key questions I ask myself are:
"Why do I do what I do?"
"Am I living with the desired end in mind?"
"How would I like to...