Dear Folks,
Life has a value only when it has something valuable as its object. — Georg W. H. Hegel (1770-1831) Philosopher
A healthy mind cannot be Shipshape without continually Stretching it’s limits. A stagnant mind is a dying mind. Hopefully your rut is not so deep as to need a ladder to climb out of, but make the effort of discovering, learning, and growing in an interesting and new direction.
Peace,
Jim
            SHIPSHAPE
Definition: in good order; tidy; trim
            STRETCHING
Definitions: (1) expanding; reaching <stretching the limits of imagination>; (2) opening the mind beyond its previous boundaries <resulting in new extents>; (3) elongating something that has the ability to return to its original shape; (4) going beyond an original ability <usually with effort>; (5) extending over a distance <stretching your thoughts even to the heavens>
Quote:
Man’s mind stretched to a new idea never goes back to its original dimension.
— Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894) American Physician and Author
Consider the Source

Dear Folks,
• Be willing to face life squarely.
• Realize that every problem impacts growth to the degree that it is attempted to be solved. — Steps Toward Inner Peace, Peace Pilgrim
Many things are Compelling: monetary or emotional security, Robust health, natural beauty, elegant truth, personal goodness. These appeal to us because they have intrinsic value. Appreciate and enjoy them in yourself, others, and Ma Nature. If you look even higher and harder you will find them revealed in and by your Spirit self.
Peace,
Jim
COMPELLING
Definitions: (1) demanding attention; drawing notice because of interest or beauty; having a riveting or an irresistible effect; (2) very powerful; forceful <a compelling personality>
            ROBUST
Definition: having or exhibiting sound health or great strength; vigorous; hearty; strongly built; sturdy; muscular
Derivation: Latin, “oak strength”
Synonyms: hale, lusty
Consider the Source

Dear Folks,
John Wooden’s Pyramid of Success (1910 – 2010) American Basketball Coach
• 6^th Level : Industrious; Friendship; Loyalty; Cooperation; Enthusiasm
• 5^th Level : Self-control; Alertness; Initiative; Intentness
• 4^th Level : Conditioning; Skill; Team Spirit
• 3^rd Level : Poise; Confidence
• 2^nd Level : Faith; Competitive Greatness; Patience
• 1^st Level : Success
It is not obvious to an immature person how they are Special in a good and unique way. Instead they think of their difference as being a drawback. Once we begin to celebrate our special personalities we get the point that our distinctive physical features are only skin deep; that our emotional proclivities can be modified; and that our intellectual boundaries can be breached. But most of all we begin to learn how to grow our soul. The most Straightforward and successful method is through the acquisition of values.
Peace,
Jim
            SPECIAL
Definitions: (1) possessing extraordinary or uncommon characteristics; exceptional; unique; (2) particularly valued <a special friend>; (3) appropriate; proper
See also: Important
Synonyms: distinctive, distinguished, individualistic
            STRAIGHTFORWARD
Definition: possessing undeviating rectitude; upright; honest; open; frank; candid
Quote:
You can run faster if you don’t run into walls. — Jerry Downs (1949 – ) American Sage
Symbol: a straight line
Consider the Source

This year, for the first time, respondents to the annual Future of Open Source Survey chose “better software quality” as the No. 1 reason for adopting open source. Is innovation in enterprise software happening anywhere else other than in open source land?
Hadoop is at the center of the big data trend. OpenStack has the momentum in private cloud. Open source frameworks and IDEs absolutely dominate app dev, while all the leading NoSQL databases are open source. Android now powers more smartphones than any other mobile OS. Plus, Microsoft and Salesforce excepted, you’d be hard-pressed to find a cloud provider that uses anything but open source software to deliver its service.
IBM’s public embrace of Cloud Foundry at OSCON provides a telling example of open source’s pole position. As with OpenStack, IBM is providing code contributions, but the Cloud Foundry community will steer development.
Consider the Source

Dear Folks,
The mystery of life isn’t a problem to solve but a reality to experience. — Dune, Frank Patrick Herbert (1920-1986) Author
Many qualities are multidimensional; that is, able to be expressed on the physical, mental, and/or spiritual levels. But no matter on which level they appear, they also move comfortably within the other two. Your body may no longer be Svelte but your mind and soul can be. Your mood may not be Jolly at this moment, but your heart can still feel the joy of life.
Peace,
Jim
            JOLLY
Definitions: (1) full of life and mirth; jovial; lively; (2) expressing, inspiring, or exciting frivolity and gaiety; (3) cheerfully festive; (4) delightful; charming
Synonyms: gay, joyous, merry, sportive, sprightly
            SVELTE
Definition: slender and graceful; lithe; possessing clean lines; sleek
Consider the Source

Dear Folks,
We focus on those things that support our reality. — Morgan Leigh
There are many aspects of a balanced personality. If one is naturally (or temporarily) High-spirited, a grounding element would be advisable. Being Matter-of-fact would do nicely.
Peace,
Jim
            HIGH‑SPIRITED
Definition: full of natural fire; vivacious; boldly courageous; noble; mettlesome
            MATTER-OF-FACT

Definitions: (1) true to the unembellished facts; literal; straightforward; (2) real
Balancing Qualities: honest, tactful
Consider the Source

Dear Folks,
He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how. — Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche (1844-1900) Philosopher
Do not get caught in the normal meanings of the qualities. With a Nimble mind you can move from one idea to another easily. This is one of the Mirthful joys of life.
Peace,
Jim
            MIRTHFUL
Definition: jovial; festive; full of merriment
Synonyms: Mirth implies general lightness of heart and love of gaiety; glee stresses exultation shown in laughter, cries of joy or delight; hilarity suggests loud or irrepressible laughter or high‑spirited boisterousness; jollity suggests exuberance or exultant playfulness.
            NIMBLE
Definitions: (1) light and quick in motion; moving with ease and celerity; lively; swift; (2) clever conception, comprehension, or resourcefulness; (3) sensitive; responsive <a nimble listener>
Consider the Source

Dear Folks,

The reward of a thing well done, is to have done it. — Ralph Waldo Emerson  (1803-1882) Essayist

Some people Provoke a response with their looks, others with their talent, and yet others with the power of their personalities. We all touch others with our presence in some small or large way. It behooves us to be Scrupulous and understand our possible and positive impact.
Peace,
Jim
            PROVOCATIVE
Definition: tending to awaken or incite appetite or passion; stimulating
Synonyms: arouse, induce, move, stir up
Balancing Qualities: appropriate, discretion
Note: This is a quality with some negative connotations, but we are using it here in its best possible sense. Yet one does have to watch for the sensitivities of others when provoking interest. Keep your motives pure, your intent honorable, and your words tactful.
            SCRUPULOUS
Definitions: (1) acting in strict regard for what is considered right or proper; having moral integrity; conscientiously honest; (2) punctiliously exact; careful with details; precise, accurate, and correct
 
Consider the Source

Dear Folks,
What most you admire, that shall you become. — One, Richard David Bach (1936-) Author
Think not only of how you can live the qualities but also who you Admire who has lived them or who is living them. Think also of other ways to consider the qualities. We automatically think of someone who is good with their hands as Dexterous. But how about a person who can manage all of the complexity of a household? Or the mathematician who can hold several ideas in mind at once?
Peace,
Jim
            ADMIRABLE
Definition: deserving the highest esteem; a person who inspires approval or respect
Synonyms: choice, excellent, pleasing, wonderful, worthy
Derivation: Latin, “to wonder”
            DEXTEROUS
Definitions: (1) ready and expert in the use of the body or hands; skillful and active in manual activity; adroit; (2) mental cleverness; quick at inventing
Synonyms: apt, artful, clever
Symbol: a juggler
Consider the Source

Dear Folks,
Each week the top quote is one from those in-the-know expressing this idea: The concept of focusing on your desire in order to attain it is an ancient and primal element of human understanding. People have always realized learning comes from experience. Whatever you pay attention to, you not only acquire expertise in but also absorb the nature of. You are becoming what you emulate.
What we plant in the soil of contemplation, we shall reap in the harvest of action. — Meister Eckhart (1260?-1327?) Mystic
The combination of qualities we possess – physical, mental, and spiritual – jammed together in a cohesive ball, are the sum of our soul. If this ball is large, it is recognizable and thus considered to be Terrific. We cannot expand our soul without consideration of others. Empathy is crucial.
Peace,
Jim
            TERRIFIC
Definition: awesome; excellent; extraordinary; great; magnificent; unusually good; wonderful
            EMPATHETIC
Definitions: (1) characterized by insightful understanding; the ability to know how another is feeling; possessing a mutual knowingness arising from sameness of experience; (2) vicariously being aware of, or being sensitive to the feelings, thoughts, or experiences of another without personally participating with the other at the time these feelings, thoughts, or experiences took place; (3) being able to grasp what is happening without the situation being fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner; (4) an emotion of sympathetic pity or compassion
Quotes:

Being able to feel the pain of others is a strength. It gives us incentive to avoid causing pain.— Morgan Llywelyn (1937 – ) BARD, The Odyssey of the Irish

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. — Jesus of Nazareth (7 bc-30 ad) The Bible, Matthew 7:12

Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain and your neighbor’s loss as your own loss. Relate yourself to every man as if you were in his place. Recompense injury with kindness. — Lao-Tse (6^th Century bc) T’ai Shang Kan Ying P’ien (The Treatise of the Exalted One on Response and Retribution) Taoism
Note: The last two quotes represent the Golden Rule. We cannot adhere to this principal of reciprocity if we do not empathize with our fellows.
Experience:
The Five Stages of Grief
1. Denial and isolation
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance
Note: You may not be able to bypass the stages of grief, but you can move through them efficiently if you do not allow yourself to wallow in defeat or sorrow. After living through the difficulty you will be a more mature person, thus better able to empathize with others in similar pain.
Consider the Source