Are You Ready For Emergencies?
One of the things Scott Sonnon taught is that fascinated me was the need to train your body to exceed normal limits. This is not about sports performance as much as the fact that life throws unexpected curves at you. The ability to compensate or adjust for sudden diversion from the norm might almost be defined as an aspect of "fitness." More flexibility than you ordinarily need is useful if you fall and twist your body. More strength than you expect to need is useful if you have to catch someone who has lost their balance, or you need to grab a railing when your feet slip. Etc.
The thing I like about this is the obvious (it IS obvious, yes?) application to emotional and mental/career aspects.
It is one thing to be calm and centered sitting on a meditation map. Quite another to maintain that calm if someone cuts you off on the freeway, or your boss is screaming at you, or you are sleepy or tired or sick. In all of these circumstances, you need UNUSUAL amounts of centering, UNUSUALLY efficient and effective tactics that have to be "wired in" at the level of unconscious competence.
It is one thing to, as many people say, have enough money "to pay my bills." But can you deal with a family emergency? Do you have the reserves to survive six months without working?
Since we KNOW that life throws the unexpected at us, what stops us from realizing we need those reserves, not settle for the minimum to get by? And if we do, why do we act surprised when shit goes sideways?
And it will ALWAYS go sideways.
This is one of the reasons it is important to have MORE energy and fitness than you need in your daily life…to compensate for the times of unusual stress.
You want deep emotional reserves, so that if the people around you are panicking, you can be a calm center. It can make the difference between life and death for your family.
You want financial reserves, sufficient to have options if you lose your job--or it becomes toxic, and you need to leave. Or if a dear friend or family member has an emergency, so that you can support them.
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That's the WHAT and the WHY of it, why "enough" isn't enough. The HOW can be found in countless books, courses, philosophies and paths. The MAGIC Formula is one. If the meaning of life is to "escape suffering, embrace joy, and give service" this notion of healing your body, emotions, and finances is "escaping suffering" and embracing joy. Creating a buffer zone, deeper emotional resources, or financial abundance might be seen as "offering service."
The MAGIC framework for this would be:
MAP or MENTOR. Find someone who has solved the specific problem you have, starting from where you are. Preferably, one in each of the three major arenas: health/fitness, emotions/relationship, mind/finances. Better still, find THREE in each area, and look for the common strategies, emotions, and physical actions. The "critical path." From this study extract
ACTIONS. Daily. What is the daily ritual of the people who have solved your issues? I PROMISE it is different from yours, or the daily actions of those who remain trapped.
GRATITUDE. You will need to manage your emotions so that they empower rather than block you. And you will also need FAITH that your changes are possible. And listen carefully now: you will need to shut your ears TIGHTLY to the people who tell you it isn't possible. They are trying to silence their own fear and guilt, by believing change is impossible. And the truth is that oppression, abuse and various neurodivergences all have similar effects on your capacity to make positive change….but if ANYONE with those issues has EVER gotten your desired results, you will need faith to study and emulate them. GRATITUDE for the blessings and accomplishments you have already enjoyed in the past and present increases our belief that the future can hold more improvement.
INTENTIONS. Your goals must be clear, and defined, and time-bound. You need to find people who have accomplished them, starting from where you are, so that you can actually believe it possible: your "failure drive" can function just fine by setting your goals so high that you don't actually believe it, but pretend to. Then, when you try and fail, that voice gets to say "see? I told you!"
CORE CONVICTION. This is a difficult one to explain, but I'll try. Your path to abundance of physical expression, joy and gratitude, and financial stability MUST be in alignment with your values, beliefs, and self-image. You have to feel, every day, that "this is me. This is a true expression of who I am, and what I was meant to be."
You cannot hold the Three Gates in esteem, but break them every day and say "when I get there, I'll change." NO. You begin now. Today. Put your dreams intentions, daily actions, emotions, beliefs and values ALL in alignment. This is daily work. You will NOT do this quickly--if you could do it quickly, you'd already have solved the problems! This is your daily meditation, journaling, therapy, research, brainstorming and mastermind work.
If you had your self-concept, emotions, actions, beliefs, values, goals and social circle all aligned, you would simply get out of bed in the morning, chop wood, carry water, go to bed at night and be happy, healthy, and consistently more successful. If you aren't, you must ADMIT IT and start looking at the pieces of the puzzle. Define the problems and begin to solve them.
It is NOT easy. But it is also not harder than what you are already doing. It is just more aligned, and you are actually facing your demons and fears rather than letting them dwell in the darkness.
As said, there are COUNTLESS valid paths. But only one mountain, climbed by billions of human beings throughout history. And you are not alone. SOMEONE has always gone before you, if you look carefully enough. Either for the specific goal, or developing the qualities and processes that allow you to explore new territory. You think a hundred explorers, each interested in different areas of the world, don't have vast amounts of information to exchange with each other to make those journeys safer?
Find a path, please. Admit that you are NOT where you need to be to escape suffering and embrace joy. Then, when you have, be of service and share YOUR path. That is how humanity progresses.
Its your turn.
Namaste
Steve
