What I've Been Learning

A recently read a book called Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai by Yamamoto Tsunetomo. It is a collection of reflections that give insight to Bushido, which is The Way of the Warrior. This book talks of the way a warrior should think and act, what virtues are important, and how to serve your master.
There were aspects of the book that were not applicable to our times, such as when your master dies, you are to perform seppuku, which is suicide by disembowelment. No thanks. But other parts of the book spoke to my soul.

"In the words of the ancients, one should make his decisions within the space of seven breaths. Lord Takanobu said, 'If indiscrimination is long, it will spoil.' Lord Naoshige said, 'When matters are done leisurely, seven out of ten will turn out badly. A warrior is a person who does things quickly.'
When your mind is going hither and thither, discrimination will never be brought to a conclusion. With an intense, fresh, and underlying spirit, one will make his judgements within the space of seven breaths. It is a matter of being determined and having the spirit to break right through to the other side."

After having read that, I decided to apply it. And it has made a big difference in my life. I tend to trust my decisions more. I feel more in control of how things will turn out as a result of my choices. I feel more comfortable in making decisions. I accept consequences better. I'm more in control of my life.

I really want to achieve a high level of self-mastery. I'm starting to make loftier goals and am breaking through barriers that I have built for myself. I enjoy this path that I'm on.

I know that I make alot of mistakes in my life. But I really do my best to learn from them. Right now I'm trying to move past my mistakes quicker. I might linger on them too long and turn them into a bigger deal than they originally were. But as long as I have goals for improvement and am really honest with myself, I think that life is going to be really great for me. Actually, it already is.