Navigating the Longevity Path successfully requires one to cultivate certain qualities, which prove to be invaluable. They are listed below in no hierarchy:
- Adaptability
- Creativity
- Discipline
- Equanimity
- Love
- Mindfulness
- Resilience
- Simplicity
So that you understand my perspective, I have defined each of the qualities in detail as follows:
Adaptability
Adaptability can be defined as the ability to change favorably in response to changes in circumstances or environment. This quality is literally a superpower and is critical to personal development.
Creativity
I view Creativity as the ability to synthesize knowledge and imagination to solve challenges. While often thought of as the sole domain of artists, Creativity is a skill anyone can cultivate by being open to possibilities.
Discipline
This vital quality is another human superpower that is absolutely necessary to play the long game. Discipline is simply the ability to do what needs to be done, irrespective of feelings, emotions or desires.
Equanimity
If we can accept the reality that Life will be a collection of experiences that will cover the full spectrum of human emotions, then the quality of Equanimity may arguably be the most important of all. Equanimity is the ability to maintain a sense of perspective and mental balance regardless of external circumstances. This is the quality that allows one to face pain, suffering, illness and even death with grace, poise and dignity.
Love
It’s almost cliché to wax poetic about the transformative power of Love but the reality is that Love is the foundation upon which the Longevity Path is built. I view Love for another person as the thoughts and actions we direct towards that person to help them be happy and fulfilled, without any ulterior motives. Love for a craft is the way we invest our time in that craft to create something of meaning and value to ourselves. Love is the fuel that helps us transcend ourselves, get beyond our egos and channel our creative energy towards bettering ourselves, other people and our planet.
Mindfulness
Meditation has changed my life in so many positive ways. In one of my recent guided sessions, mindfulness was defined as the art of paying attention to what is important. I am in full agreement. If we can learn to direct our attention to everything we do and not allow ourselves to be lost in thought or paralyzed by distraction, we can learn to derive more meaning, contentment and joy from life. We can learn to be less reactive to the natural, inevitable ebbs and the flows of life and gain more appreciation for all experiences.
Resilience
If Adaptability can be defined as the ability to respond favorably to changes in circumstances, then Resilience can be thought of as the ability to bounce back from the myriad trials and tribulations of Life.
While it is uncomfortable to think about the reality that pain and suffering will be part of our lives at numerous points, it is simply the truth. With this understanding, we can learn to cultivate the treasure that will help us survive, endure, and even thrive under adverse situations.
Resilience, like discipline, is forged through adversity. As iron sharpens iron, tough times build Resilience. Followers of the Longevity Path find a way to process difficult situations and respond with a solution oriented mindset.
Simplicity
Simplicity takes all of the aforementioned qualities and expresses them as art. Someone who has cultivated simplicity has a lightness to their step, an overall ease and peacefulness in their heart.
Mastering the art of Simplicity is the epitome of mindfulness. It is the ability to discern the essential from the trivial, to break down the complicated into a digestible form.
