Have You Built a Core Yet?
I was speaking to someone over a leadership forum recently and we were talking about the challenge of maintaining sanity and balance at work and in life. Based on her successful career which involved gruelling work hours, her advice was to build a core- mentally, emotionally, spiritually.
The physical analogy of a core resonated with me instantly- as a health freak, I keep reading and watching content on making the body stronger and more durable with age. One defining factor that stands out every time is that, what you need for a strong body are your core muscles - rectus abdominis (or the six pack), the oblique muscles and the ones that supports your back and spine. Everytime you lift up anything, sit up straight or simply maintain good posture, you rely on these core muscles.
Simply maintaining a good posture looks easy, but it really is an endurance test over a period of time. It is the fruit of labor from strengthening your core. What could be the emotional, mental and spiritual core muscle equivalent? What could be the endurance builder for these aspects of our well-being? My guess is as good as yours, but in my opinion it could be extensive reading for the mind, restraint and humility for the heart (most of our emotional struggles involve our ego and insecurities), nurture and kindness for the spirit.
As I write, a tiny bitter gourd sapling is slowly raising its head in one of my container pots. The joy it brings to me is as pure as the morning light. Maybe it is these simple things that we need to make more time for, as life’s core is about simple things - not always easy, but simple.
