Personal Well-Being (The Tao of Kiteman).

"Well being" is not the same as being well.

These tips don't guarantee any sort of cure of what ails you.  If we're honest, no website or self-help book can do that.

They are, though, a tool-kit that you can use as you need to to help you be happier with yourself as a person.

Not all will be right for you - just pick and mix as you want.


^{_{(Note: the images are pretty meaningless, generally lifted from around the web, but an image-free posting upsets the filters.  I've given sources where I know them, but if you know of [problems with their use, please let me know and I will happily change them.)}}

Step 1: Find your space

Everybody needs a place to call their own, a place to think and cogitate without interruption.

For most people, it will be somewhere at home - a bedroom, a den, a shed, a beanbag in the corner.

However, not everybody is the same.  Maybe your space is in the local library, maybe it's a bench in the park, or even on the local commuter train, in the corner of the carriage with your headphones on. 

Wherever it is, find your space, and go there when you need to.

Comments

[mikolynn]

Nice!
This Ible makes me remember that book:
http://www.barefootdoctorglobal.com/books/1/Handbook-for-the-Urban-Warrior/
;)

[sunshiine]

Great! Thanks for sharing!

[Riptide100]

"When somebody asks how you are, the response always seems to be a reflexive "I'm fine".
But, sometimes you're not."

This reminds me so much of the movie "Patch Adams", with Robin Williams, where he does a test of saying hello to people in more heartfelt (and abnormal)manners. Always makes me smile :)

[ilpug]

I met the real patch Adams. He really does greet people like that.

[shadow wave rider]

lol. hahahahahahah i love that picture of theat guy

[panzerfaust379]

My fictional deity is greater than yours! :-)

[Goodhart]

[bobsegravescollis]

I presume that it could turn into and instructable.....

[Kiteman]

Indeed.

_{See the "reply" button? It makes it easier to keep track of who is talking to who.}

[bobsegravescollis]

Got any ancestors from Oz, the Aussie male MUST have a shed in which to create. The women folk there agree, here in the US they are much less tolerant. However the Tao of Kiteman has inspired me to get out in the garden and layout the foundation and get to building.

[Kiteman]

Cool - don't forget, take photos as you go.

[fishcake27]

look its calvin and hobes!!!

[bikerbob2005]

"When you wake up in the morning, Pooh," said Piglet at last, "what's the first thing you say to yourself?"
"What's for breakfast? said Pooh. "What do you say, Piglet?"
"I say, I wonder what's going to happen exciting today?" said Piglet.
Pooh nodded thoughtfully.
"It's the same thing," he said.

[Goodhart]

Step one - Find your space (I've been confined to an 18 foot by 12 foot room, which wouldn't be bad except my "partner" took over 9/10's of the room and I am now relegated to a 5 foot by 3 foot area, including all my tools, my misc stuff for building things, my electronics parts bins, my 3 work benches also covered with tools and parts, one book case filled with software, and one chair that has enough room around it to move 3 inches in 3 of four directions.

Step #2 know your worth- most of my "worth" sadly is locked away in my head.  Without the room nor the tools to do the things I want to (much less the time), it remains there unless I stumble onto someone's question that I can answer in here.

Step 3 relax.....tis hard when working in a closet....

Step 4,  yes, I need to get exercise...it is good, not just for the body but for the mind too.

Step 5:   cut loose...this means trouble in my home, so I am never able to do this...ever.

Step 6 talk:  I would if I had someone to talk to.  The wife doesn't do much of it lately, and when I get to work, everyone else is leaving...

Step 7 Challenge yourself. . . now THIS ONE I can do, and I do it often.   I read new subjects (lately it has been cosmology, but I have read up on quantum physics, genetics, orientation, scripting, programming of several languages, electronics, wood working, robotics, radio transmission/receiving, mechanical movements, and lateral thinking in general, etc.  I also challenge myself by building things outside my area of expertise (anything that is not strictly electronic in nature, in other words ;-)  like my recent tesseract project.

Kiteman....I am not critiquing your topic here, it is well done, but I am pretty much hog tied when it comes to things along this line.

I won't be able to make 3 ibles in 3 days, but I have already put out more this year in 2 weeks then I have in any other 2 weeks of last year...so some of the control is in my court as it were....I just need to push harder.

[lisamw123]

I loved this instructable! And I couldn't agree more with this last step. My life has changed immensely since I really challenged myself by going back to college. Didn't do so well the first round, but going back, I was in the right state of mind to accept the challenge. Because of that, I am a completely different person - not "invisible" any more.

[Kiteman]

Thank you, and well done.

[thrake]

[jamiec53]

[mole1]

All good stuff, Kiteman... and at an especially useful time of year. Thanks!

[Kiteman]

Thanks!

[PKM]

"When somebody asks how you are, the response always seems to be a reflexive "I'm fine".

But, sometimes you're not."

Best piece of advice here :)

Also, thanks to Terry Border (and very timely):

"It's funny- when we go on holiday, it's to get away from work, but when the holiday comes to us, it becomes all about work. I think we're doing it wrong."

Imagine the funny looks you'd get if you wished people a "relaxing christmas".  Almost sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it?

[mole1]

Oh! You and Terry Border have just improved my life! !

I've never imagined putting those two words in the same sentence much less together. "Relaxing Christmas"... just repeating it mentally is an expanding experience....... I can feel my shoulders relax.... I'm grinning.... Aaaahhhhhh!

[Goodhart]

99% of the time if I respond with anything "other then" I'm fine, I get a return gazed that looks glazed over as if people really didn't care "how I was"; they MEANT to say "hi" but it my be awkward and cliche to them (shrug)

[belsey]

True, so you do have to pick carefully the person you are planning on overwhelming with angst. But even the best friend isn't as good as a diary (sorry Kiteman!). A diary is by far superior to a human ear, mostly because it doesn't talk back, and interrupt with support (or stupid advice...). Sometimes you still want to continue being angry or feeling sorry for yourself for a while, and kind words get in the way. Even worse, the person might follow up a few days later when you're over it with an unwanted reminder of that whole embarrassing episode you'd rather forget... I'd much rather talk to my dog of my troubles, even though if I cry I get his hair all over my face and he looks so alarmed it just spoils the mood. So diaries are the best. You can wallow as much as you like, be as mean as you want to be, nobody will get hurt, you won't be embarrassed later, you can get it all out then get on with your life.

[Goodhart]

But there IS that lack of feedback from the diary :-)

[belsey]

I was thinking more in terms of spleen and existentialism, rather than practical problems. But hey, even in those cases, I find to sit down and write lists of pros and cons, then comparing the lists, will help me figure out what my best options are for any given problem. Of course talking to others is important too, but writing for oneself will definitely help sort out issues and priorities.

[Goodhart]

I have found that if I "speak things out loud", especially TO someone, I tend to be able to work things out, but then, we all have different mechanisms that work, eh?

[Kiteman]

Thanks.

[V-Man737]

BWAHAHAHAAHAAA! You have Toothpaste For Dinner!!!

Very nice collage of meaningful living. I recommend adding martial arts to Step 4 ("Get Physical"), since most martial arts implement spiritual well-being with the physical aspect. :D

[Kiteman]

Good idea - I will add it right now.

[gmjhowe]

Now now. I think we can do a little better than that sir.

Bazzinga! You just go vectorised.

Please find attached a new main picture for this instructable.
Also find on your orange board a high res version for your profile picture and other uses.

[aeray]

I've always been a big fan of the short-term, everyday (multiple times a day, really) breathing and relaxation techniques. I'm also a big fan of "redneck therapy": shooting guns in the woods until your wrists and shoulders hurt, and then retiring to an undeveloped, public lands campsite for an evening of (preferably wild elk, deer, or grouse) meat burnt over a fire and copious amount of beer and spirits. About twice a year seems to do the trick. Good advice, as always, K-man.

[Kiteman]

Thank you.

[missplumeau]

Thank you! You have no idea how timely this was for me!