Build a Strong Foundation in Life

If you have never heard the story of the wise builder and foolish builder it goes something like this. "There were two men who were each building a home. The wise man built his home on a stone foundation. The foolish man built his home on the sand. So when the rains, winds, and storms came crashing down on the homes the wise mans home stood strong throughout. The foolish mans home washed away."


So what kind of foundation are you building your life on? The storms in life are unavoidable and unpredictable. The best we can do is to make sure that we are prepared when they do arrive. A strong foundation in life is built on a three simple tenets. Having a strong body, mind, and soul.


#1. Having a strong body. In the current day and age of fast food, and no time for the gym, this is probably one of the hardest tenets to keep rock solid. The reason I start with this facet of your life foundation is that it will effect all others. You live every day in your body and how healthy you are impacts the quality of your everyday life. Lets take two different types of people, someone who takes care of their body and is healthy, and someone who is overweight and unhealthy.How do you think they would answer this question. "Are you happy?". Obviously the healthy person would likely answer "Yes" and the unhealthy "No"? The focus here is not on physical beauty but on your health and vitality. "Health is a state of complete harmony of the body, mind and spirit.  When one is free from physical disabilities and mental distractions, the gates of the soul open".  ~B.K.S. Iyengar

You will never regret the decision to start living healthily. However, everyday living unhealthy is a day of regret. One more day that you can not experience all of life's joys. One more day that you can't climb that mountain and see the breathtaking view at the apex. One more lost opportunity. No matter how long it has been since you ate something good for your body, or stepped in a gym, it is never too late. All journeys start the same, with one step.


#2. Have a strong mind. Life is not meant to be lived in front of a television screen. Life is a journey. "How often I found where I should be going only by setting out for somewhere else.
~Buckminster Fuller"  The pursuit and desire for knowledge is the thing that has driven humanity towards it great heights. Often when we are searching for something we end up finding what we were "really" looking for along the way. It is the great tragedy of this generation that minds have been so neglected. A life not used learning along the way is a life truly wasted. How else can you achieve your great unlimited potential if not for pushing yourself. For all you know, you could be the one who is destined to discover a cure for cancer, or write the next great symphony, maybe solve the great questions of the universe, or just have the right thing to say to save someone when they need it. The point is, if you do not push yourself towards greater heights of knowledge and understanding then you are not the only one who is suffering, it could be the world. It is only through mutual understanding and the pursuit of knowledge that one day hopefully this world will know true peace and happiness. Apply these lessons to your life.


#3. Have a strong soul. What does this mean? "There is no easy or quick plan to happiness, there is no single spot where you can start. Where you are right now is the best place to begin. Be careless in your dress if you must, but keep a tidy soul".~Mark Twain. Oh, I love this quote so much. Mark Twain describes so succinctly how one of the foundations of our lives is so integral to happiness. "OK", you may be saying to yourself, "but what is a soul, Ethan?". A favorite description of mine is one by C.S. Lewis, "You don't have a soul. You are a soul. You have a body." You are your soul. It is who you are, your character, your conscience, your ideas, your values, your morals, and all that is you. Keep this strong. It is so important to have a strong belief and faith in yourself. You must live with integrity and keep a clear image of who you are and what you are meant to do. Christians, like myself, believe that our soul is eternal and that we will one day stand before God to be judged for our actions. I pray that my soul is strong enough to follow the path I have chosen and love so much. Others, may follow different theologies or philosophies but the message resonates through them all. Have a strong soul that you can be proud of, live well, do well to others. Do this and you will then have a firmer foundation in life.



So, are you building your home on a stone foundation or on the sand? If its on the sand, today is the time to move. Life has storms, do not be afraid of them washing you away. Be able to stand tall and proud and KNOW that it is all going to be ok.


Ethan R. Ames