PROMPT: Everyone Should Know

Daily writing prompt
What’s something you believe everyone should know.

While any individual’s ability to substantially change the world is minimal, one’s ability to change how one experiences the world is vast. Cultivate the dispassionate witness. #Sakshi Bhava

Also, how to swim, change a tire, and juggle while riding a unicycle.

PROMPT: Failure

Daily writing prompt
How has a failure, or apparent failure, set you up for later success?

If one fails and one tries again, one will make course corrections. Keep repeating that cycle, and one is bound to home in on success.

Psychologically, I think juggling is a fantastic skill to practice because one must fail a million times and keep going. Furthermore, one must learn to choose failure over a spastic success (and condition that behavior in on the fly.) By this I mean, one must learn to let the ball drop rather than lunging to make a frantic catch, because if you are always making wild reaches, you’ll never achieve a smooth, natural rhythm. In other words, a catch that keeps the ball in the air for one or two more throws is not truly a success if it trains a wobbly, unsustainable movement pattern. More generally, one must redefine what constitutes success or failure at a fundamental level.

PROMPT: Leisure Time

Daily writing prompt
What do you enjoy doing most in your leisure time?

That’s trickier than it seems. I quite enjoy reading and many forms of bodily movement activities (e.g. swimming, yoga, taiji, qigong, exercise, etc.,) but I’d count them more as personal development activities than leisure activities. (Even something as seemingly non-purposeful as juggling.) I sometimes watch TV / movies, but I don’t know that I’d say I enjoy that so much as find it an opportunity to zone out.

PROMPT: Screentime

How do you manage screen time for yourself?

Many ways, really: e.g. Go for a walk or otherwise move. Forget it exists. When the WiFi goes down, take it as a sign from the universe. Juggle. Do something productive.

PROMPT: Skills

Daily writing prompt
What skills or lessons have you learned recently?

I’ve been learning to juggle. It’s an excellent skill because you have to fail a million times before you can be successful, and you can’t partially fail or fail in a controlled fashion. It’s kind of all or nothing. So, it teaches persistence and to be less prone to becoming demoralized. It also teaches one a lot about how one’s mind works at the speed of instinct.

PROMPT: Physical Activity

Daily writing prompt
What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?

I don’t have a favorite, but there are several that I could not maintain health and sanity without, including: hiking, yoga, calisthenics, taiji / qigong, free movement, and at least one cardio (I currently swim and run.) I’m currently struggling with juggling.