Week 6: CONNECT
An Outlier understands how relationships give meaningful shape to limited time.
Last week’s challenge, when properly met, required us to while away some time in daily meditation. Hopefully at times, feelings about family, friends, and relationships settled near the top of your thoughtful heap. This week, ironically, offers us the most capitalistic opportunity (there’s Valentine’s Day) to cultivate relationships within both individual and community circles.
“It is not the clay the potter throws, which gives the pot its usefulness, but the space within the shape, from which the pot is made.” – Lao Tzu
Much of the same philosophy can be applied to our social health and fitness. Stretch a bit with me here. I’m no Lao Tzu, but I’d posit that it’s not the time we possess which gives our life its purpose, but the relationships (and acts) within that time, from which meaning is gained. In short, what’s there provides the means; what’s not provides the purpose. Our lives provide the ‘pot-like’ utility, a framework to be used. It defines what’s there – a limited time and chance for opportunity – the capacity to fill our life’s pot from ‘wall to wall’ with experience. How we choose to fill our ‘pot of life’ – our actions, our decisions, and our relationships – provide the purpose. Combine ingredients: individually strong relationships, immersive community and purposeful intention. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and enjoy helping-after-fulfilling-helping.
The recipe for a #10exlife is nutritiously rich and delicious because it’s oriented towards relationships. This week’s challenge is two-fold:
#1 – Bolster a single relationship:
- Corral a family member or friend.
- Explain your intention to strengthen and enrich both parties.
- Auger into Arthur Aron’s 36 Questions to Bring you Closer Together (these questions take half an hour or so to discuss).
#2 – Connect within your #423nation community:
- Join us in celebrating the end of the OLC – Friday evening after the final class ends.
- Bring food to share attendant with recipes.
- Meet new Outliers that you haven’t yet.
- Cultivate away and enjoy the evening!
G-