The 9 Life Guiding Principles

I've worked with AI to come up with the following list based on things that I am doing and what I believe will help people reach an enlightened enriched state.  The structure follows Galatians 5 and the 9 fruits of the spirit, in that there are 3 internal principles, 3 principles that act on the world, and 3 that have the world act on the individual.  The good thing about the internal ones is they are flexible. You can reflect at the beginning of the day or the end of the day, completing the challenge and restore phases in order.  I think I will delve into each of these deeper and how I try and meet these in my own life.  This is kind of my take on things after looking at the Liver King's 9 tenets of ancestral living.  I think there is some value in getting back to basics but the advancement of tech and society demands that we advance to meet the requirements of the day.  We can't stick our heads in the sand and ignore what is going on for our own purported benefit.  We have to interact with things in the best way possible that will set us up for the future and beyond. And with that here are the 9 Life Guiding Principles... 

INTERNAL (Self-focused)

1. Reflect - Regular self-examination, mindfulness, and understanding your values

• Can start or end your daily cycle
• Morning: Reflect on yesterday and plan for today
• Evening: Process how the day went and prepare for tomorrow
• Includes breathwork for meditation, mindfulness, or centering yourself

2. Challenge - Pushing physical limits, embracing discomfort, and strengthening the body

• Focus on physical work to improve the body
• Encompasses physical training, mental toughness, stepping outside comfort zones
• Includes growth mindset with active, confrontational approach to improvement
• Must be followed by Restore in the cycle
• Could include challenging breathwork (like Wim Hof method, breath holds)

3. Restore - Prioritizing rest, recovery, and mental/physical renewal

• Sleep, meditation, breathwork for relaxation
• Cold exposure therapy (ice baths, cold showers) for recovery and nervous system reset
• Stretching, quiet time, stress relief
• Internal recovery processes that don't require external input
• Naturally follows Challenge and prepares you for Reflect

- My input here: I know breathwork is mentioned in all 3, because I think it is incredibly important to understand such a basic funtion in order to get the most out of your body.  I only do one session per day, but you should work in to which ever part makes the most sense for you.  Honestly it is one activity that does cover all 3 principles. 

AFFECTING OTHERS (Outward influence)

4. Serve - Contributing to others' wellbeing and your community

• Includes paid work as service (trading time and ability for compensation)
• Volunteer work and community service
• Professional contributions and career
• Helping family and friends
• Any way you use your abilities to benefit others

5. Connect - Building genuine relationships and meaningful bonds

• Especially important as people age and can become withdrawn
• Doesn't have to be deep - can be simple, sincere interactions
• Genuine conversations with neighbors, family check-ins, being present with coworkers
• Must be sincere with good intent - interrupt and shut down manipulative connections
• Quality of intent matters more than depth of relationship

6. Inspire - Leading by example and encouraging others to reach their potential

• Making yourself vulnerable to others
• Putting yourself and your ideas out there for consumption
• Being willing to be wrong but still trying
• Social media engagement, speaking in groups, sharing imperfect ideas
• Specific goal of making things better for people outside of you
• Modeling courage and authenticity, not perfection

- My thoughts here - I know inspire sounds super hard, but it really can be as simple as sharing something on social media that has brought you joy or enlightenment that is worth sharing in your mind to enrich the lives of others.  I do announcing and coaching to try and make the most enjoyable experience that I can for kids, sometimes I am just filling in for people who are better than me, but know I am trying my hardest in those situations. 

OUTSIDE AFFECTING YOU (External influences)

7. Learn - Seeking wisdom from mentors, books, experiences, and nature

• Active engagement with external sources of knowledge
• Studying, being taught by others, learning from experiences
• More intentional than passive absorption

8. Nature - Connecting with all life forms and life-giving energy around you

• Relationship with plants, animals, the sun, and all living systems
• Recognizing yourself as part of a larger living system
• Engaging with natural cycles and life energy
• Consciously connecting with the web of life around you

9. Sustain - Choosing what you consume to maintain and support your body

• Food, water, supplements - everything you take into your body
• Conscious choices about what keeps you going and thriving
• Both immediate needs (meals) and long-term nutrition habits
• Maintaining your body's needs over time

 My input here - I have talked about my supplement routine before so this one I feel like is very important to make sure you are getting the right things for you body.  If there is an upset in the system or a life changing event at least you can take solace in knowing that you have put yourself in the best position to handle the upset.  Also there is nothing in the principles that says you have to be in perfect condition to do them.  The underlying guiding principle here is progress not perfection, even if there is a set back, we should be striving to get better a little bit each day, and these guidelines help that process.  Best of Luck.