Anything but consistent was the blog activity this year. It began actively, then plunged towards notable inactivity as I spent six months in the States involved in other projects and reflection. Suddenly, not long before I set course to return to Brazil, the frequency reached unprecedented levels. The hyperactivity followed in part as a curious experiment, and in part to compensate for the contrastingly slow period that preceded.
What has the yearly trend demonstrated? What lessons have I extracted?
Living especially as a nomad under constantly shifting circumstances, I’ve been heavier inclined to produce philosophical content among conscientious living, minimalism and stoic practices.
Experiments among nutrition, sleep and physical activity have occupied a lot of my interest. I focus on long-term impact, rather than, say, let’s see what transpires within 30 days. In consequence, I’ve required far longer periods to observe the effects, especially the secondary, at the cognitive level. It follows that I’ve addressed the subjects with a fair degree of modesty.
Probably the greatest discovery I’ve continuously asserted, if one can even call a discovery something that’s held for as long as human existence, is that of emotional invariance. Rather, concerning the events that occur, conversations we exchange, provocations we endure, physical discomfort we experience, we choose the meaning to associate with those precepts. We likewise are free to disregard meaning altogether and not propagate unnecessary (or any) emotional value. I became conscious of this 10 years ago, but haven’t really felt the impact across daily micro-interactions until more recently.
Among the other colossal game changers, reading ancient stoic literature has reinforced much of what I’ve pursued with the simple living philosophy, but on a far greater scale. It reaffirms the power behind depth-based learning, rather than breadth. Shallow content, although inspiring upon the initial encounter, has fallen short in my experience.
Consistent attention to physical health I’ve continued to prioritize as the disproportionately attributing factor to overall well-being. I have, however, struggled to adequately deal with the so called interposed nutritional malice. Quality nutrition feels fantastic, yet when unavailable, or preempted by my eagerness to reduce the fragility of an over-cleansed organism, sufficiently poor quality seems to obliterate my body chemistry. I’m still searching for a balance to minimize this fragility yet not sacrifice the overall state.
I’ve improved at adapting journal style content to a blog. Whereas I used to refrain from public writing precisely for lack of this ability, I’ve now learned to transform inherently private reflections into a presentable and hopefully insightful public format.
Micro-interaction has become the de facto approach to daily living. (Never mind that I remain far from consistent.) Strive to execute everything with mindfulness, the most rudimentary motions inclusive. Reflect on the hidden subtleties everywhere interspersed. Interact not in an automated fashion, but with authenticity and thoughtfulness.
Empathy, respect for others' opinion, and humbleness are among the traits I need pay greater care to exercise.
I’ve come to exhibit an increasingly stronger and quiet visceral preference for the analog or the simplified digital tools, the paper medium, and an offline mode of operation. Yet I don’t view this as a problem, but rather a style that, by virtue of the secondary cognitive effects, enables the sort of mindful living that produces a stabler sense of calm, emotional equilibrium, and happiness.
How this impacts communication and networking is an entirely different subject. I don’t yet have a definitive resolution. Nor do I actively seek to address the question or even recognize the challenge as an acute case. Only time will tell whatever is to become of this tale.
Questions, comments? Connect.