Resolutions? No Thank You: Spilled Milk #171

Here are 74 things I know to be true.

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Photo by Sajid Ali on Unsplash

Resolutions? No thank you. As the book says, let’s get into “causes and conditions.”

People have been asking “what is the meaning of life?” ever since we first started communicating with one another.

What is our purpose? What are we meant to do? These questions are responsible for the majority of our art, writing, distress, depression, anxiety, growth, wars, and just about every other facet of our lives, historically or contemporaneously.

Over the last 20 years I have asked over two dozen true shamans, spiritual leaders, healer, clergy and mystics those very questions; from the Dalai Lama to a man who I believe can astrally project himself (look at the Botswana episode of “Bizarre Foods” and tell me I’m wrong). All these holy people told me the same thing. We are on earth to love each other and be of service to our communities.

I think they are right.

Many people equate their purpose on earth with goal and status-based achievement. I know I used to 100 percent of the time. It got me nowhere. The spiritual world, the universe, couldn’t care less about what you “get” or what you achieve, it wants to make sure your heart is well tuned. Acting out of love, empathy, joy, kindness, and other centeredness will keep you trued up with your real purpose. Today, my ambitions don’t revolve around acquiring things except when I break out into a rash of self-pity.  When I am really honest with myself, things — nice things or money — only fill the hole for a few hours. When I am right-sized, I know in my  heart that my true ambition is walking humbly and being useful to my fellows.

The key, it turns out, is having a lifestyle, a design for living, that keeps me in the space where I am more interested in what I can do for you than what I can get out of it for me. I stay right-sized in many ways. Mostly it’s being active in the 12-step program that I sobered up in 32 years ago. But anyone can apply the same principles in life, or other ones that get you on the train to the same station I wound up in.

Here is a list of ideas, principles and thought starters that either help me, helped me or are a part of my daily practice. I made this list for my son. And many of you asked that I share it here. No better time than at the beginning of a new year.