How to Live a Good Life

At 4 AM I was awakened by a light so brilliant, it felt like opening my eyes for more than a few seconds would result in permanent eye damage.

Bewildered, unsure whether I was awakening or experiencing a nightmare, I slowly sat up keeping one hand above my brows in an attempt to filter the blinding light.

I didn’t know what  was going on and felt flustered I had to live through a cheesy Unsolved Mysteries episode.

As soon as I was seated upright and halfway composed, the blinding light began to dim and all that was left was what appeared to be three figures at the foot of my bed that looked, well, kinda like ghosts. I immediately got the sense they’ve lived on earth long ago and had triumphant lives.

One began to speak…

“I’m going to show you a series of four possible scenarios that could be in your near future. Some are better than others.”

In front of my bed a screen materialized. I began to watch a series of four possible scenarios displayed on the screen in two-minute segments.

Some were better than others. One was really bad. But when they displayed the one I really loved, I began hooting and hollering like I was rooting for my favorite football team.

At the conclusion of watching the four possible scenarios, I enthusiastically inquired, “I like the third one. Please tell me what I must do to ensure that’s my outcome!”

After those words left my lips, the entities dissolved into thin air and my room was pitch dark once again just as it was prior to their dramatic entrance.

I ain’t going to lie. The above episode was about the weirdest thing that has happened to me in my life.

Oddly, after having such a powerful experience, it only left me angry. What good is telling me there’s a possible future scenario that utterly excites me, yet neglecting to give me the precise directions to get there?

I went right back to sleep with an inner irritation that I couldn’t shake.

Upon awakening, I made Japanese green tea, the customary morning ritual in the Bamboo Forest household.

While taking sips of my lovely tea, reflecting on what transpired, it hit me like a ton of banana peels at open mic night:

These spirits visited me not to give me instructions but to give me vision to what’s possible. I realized they weren’t permitted to give me instructions; I had to use my intellect and figure it out on my own.

Since that’s the case, I’ll share with you what I’ve concluded will help me realize the future scenario they showed me that I liked most. Maybe some of my ideas will also be helpful for you. Then, maybe, we can both celebrate when our hard work, in the now, pays off in the not too distant future:

1. Daily reading. There’s nothing better for your mind than daily reading. To learn from our own trials is good. To learn from other people’s mistakes and their acquired knowledge is supreme.

The other benefit of reading life enhancing books is they are a constant reminder to who you want to be. This benefit trumps what’s in the books themselves. Because awareness is your greatest ally.

Moreover, by reading different books regularly, you expose yourself to not just multiple pearls of wisdom but multiple ways of being explained similar concepts, which can make all the difference in the world.

Ray Edwards writes:

“Oh, you can make a temporary change, but it never seems to last.

Until…

You read that one book… or attend that one workshop… or hear that one piece of advice from a friend… and something clicks.

You make the shift instantly.”

Lastly, since repetition is the mother of all learning and mastery, daily reading is a must.

2. Guard your health. Whether you’re in amazing health or not, now is the time to do what you can to maintain and improve your health. Diet, exercise, and having valuable friends factor in here.

3. Have a passion. What’s life without a passion? A passion is something you consistently work on to constantly improve. Maybe you’re a martial artist and constantly striving to stretch your skills. Or you’re a writer. Perhaps, a musician? Matters not. But you should have something in your life that you derive great satisfaction in constantly improving. It will keep you vibrant. It will ensure you always have something to move toward in the future.

4. Meditate. Meditation may not be for everyone, but I notice the many benefits it elicits in my life.

The most important one being clarity. Devoid of a clear mind, we can make various choices that in retrospect we rather not have.

Depression, stress, sadness, anxiety, confusion, all can lead to belief systems, choices and behaviors that aren’t in our best interest. Fighting a clouded mind is something I do relentlessly.

“Scientists study it. Doctors recommend it. Millions of people – many of whom don’t even own crystals – practice it every day. Why? Because meditation works.” ~Time Magazine

5. Have honor. What good is having life turn out splendidly while being bereft of honor? True success can’t be attained without being caring and guarding yourself from feeding your gratification at the expense of others.

The message of this post is this: There are many possible scenarios in your future. We can’t know with certainty what measures must be taken to generate the most ideal outcome. But we can use our intellect to create a pathway that increases the likelihood our future circumstances will be what we desire most.

Get behind your life now, like water that was flat, that suddenly gains momentum, rises up and generates a powerful wave on a one-way path to its greatest fulfillment.

Photo by joka2000