There are things in life (People, places, projects, memories, habits, and thoughts) that will cut you open like a knife. At the exposing moment; what will be revealed to the world? Strength like iron? Soft like fluff? Nothing like air? Maybe B.S. to conceal your weakness?
The exposing moment creates vulnerability. When that moment comes, are you ready for it? Are you able to handle yourself if things suddenly and unexpectedly get worse?
There are things in life that you cannot control. The focus here is on what you CAN control – yourself, your emotions, your actions & reactions. What you can control is connected to your Personal Will. Personal will is what you hold deep inside yourself. The parts of yourself and your life that you only allow some to see.
There is a strength necessary to living from Personal Will. How “strong” are you? That is in quotes because the strength of Personal Will is not always quantifiable and only shows itself in the moment you are exposed.
Controlling your emotions, spirituality, relationships, actions, etc. are aspects of Personal Will. They are the bedrock of who you are, what you are about, and where you are going. Don’t make the assumption that who you are today is as strong (mentally, physically, emotionally) as you’ll ever be. There is more if you’re willing to grow. You can continue to build your inner fortress.
Your inner fortress is that place you access when things don’t go as planned. It’s where your love, emotions, strength, and perseverance reside. No one has access unless you give it; or if there is weakness, a word, comment, or moment can break through.
The goal is a sound mind and strong body.
Developing Personal Will requires discipline. Discipline will give your mind and body a rhythm. Rhythms provide stability and rest. From there you can weather moments of being exposed.
There is a word in Greek – Eleutheria, that can be helpful for you to build the discipline of Personal Will. Eleutheria means: Live as you should, not as you please.
Read that again…
Live as you should, not as you please.
How should you live? That’s a different question than how you might want to live or what other people might expect. To Live as you should require self-reflection and culling what is not part of your core.
How do you determine How you should live? How do you build your inner fortress? Two things – first, determine what is essential to life (mind, body, soul, work) and build from there. Second, develop rhythms that build, not diminish your inner fortress.
Live as you should, not as you please is a foundation to a disciplined life, a life developing personal will.