“It is better to be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war” ~ Chinese Proverb

Life is so beautiful.

Life is also tough, unfair and will knock you down.

Are you prepared for this? Will you get back up?

The truth is we will have more success toughening our own minds and bodies than we would trying to change the sometimes harsh reality of the world.

The stoics from back in the day refer to this strength as their ‘inner citadel’. An inner fortress they forge through hard work that no external force can ever conquer. We are not born with this, we must build and actively reinforce this everyday.

We may not be fighting battles with our rivals or running from lions, so our adversities may look a little different

these days.

None the less we must keep sharpening our swords in the good times to fight back in the hard times.

Physically we must remain strong.

– Seek discomfort. Hard work. Exercise. Nutrition. Rest.

Mentally we must keep a calm mind, this creates more clarity.

– Discipline. Structure. Leadership. Perseverance. Open mind.

Spiritually we must feed our souls all the things we love.

We must give back to the world that gives so much to us.

This will give us the heart to keep going when we are forced to dig deep.

Are you ok to be alone?

Are you strong enough to go an extra few rounds if you need to?

Are you comfortable when a challenge arises?

Are you ok with uncertainty?

How do you deal with pressure?

All these things (and more) will arise many times in life and when they do, life will want an answer!

What will yours be?