What is the Proper Way?

What is the Proper Way? And why does it help?

To be curious of the proper way to execute any given task, even something as particular as knowing how to properly hold your knife while cutting a tomato to ensure an even slice that doesn't squirt all over the place, is a crucial necessity for living an enlightened existence.

It is imperative, that one take measures every single day, to perfect THEIR own craft. Though we are taught to see through the illusion of duality, that good and bad are not opposite separate "things" but two sides of a coin or two poles of the Earth, we aren't told much about how to deal with other people. It is important to see clearly for yourself, that other people exist, and how THEY as individuals are all growing as you are growing and making moves every day, whether big or small, just as you make moves to go to work, to make money, to make love. 

In any given environment, whether work, play/social, education, there is a type of competition going on between each person as an individual, as YOU right now, "against" the world. It's not really you are against the world, it's more like an ongoing game of chess. Knight to C4, you pay your cable bill, White's turn, Rook to E7, another month of cable. Every day you wake up, suit up, and go play against the others in YOUR environment. If it's at work, in your position specifically right now there is a way to be a top performer who executes every task Properly with ease and grace, and a way to be an average performer. If it's at school, there is alway's a way to get better grades and be an upstanding student promotes growth to others by providing services such as Prom, pep rallies, tailgates, and Gatorade in the pop machines. By taking the time to do little things, like show up to meetings and events, you can put yourself in situations as I did becoming ASB President my senior year of high school, which benefit you, because you are benefiting others. As ASB President, I influenced a number happenings throughout the year which, in the big scheme of things, had impact on every single student who was there. Those events also taught future leaders what to do and not to do and helped shape their own happenings, just as those before me influenced and continue to influence me.

Every institution, every interaction, every "thing" done has a WAY to be done gracefully and in a way which other Beings can enjoy, learn, or otherwise grow from. In social situations, those who can speak out generally get their way (though it is not always the Proper Way) but think of the person you know who always makes people laugh, who always brightens the room… maybe it's you, or maybe it's your best friend or some guy you know at the bar on Thursdays… They know the proper way to maneuver the social arena. It's supposed to be playful, and their charm and spark allow others to feel comfortable while earning their affections and ensuring smooth sailing wherever they go. It's truly a win/win for everyone. As with a work-situation, those who perform the best will be promoted faster and paid more money typically without regard to character of the individual in this day-and-age of technology where most of the time you email a resume and hope you threw enough keywords in the subject to spark the attention of the guy sitting at a computer who reads 1000s of other's life you every single day. 

It is important to realize that you and everyone around you is all involved in this great thing called Life together and we should all be treated with kindness and respect. Also, that everything around you is in constant flux… that the building on the corner of 4th and Main Downtown YOURMAJORCITY nine-times-out-of-10 wasn't that same business 100 years ago, even 50, or 25, or 5 in our economy. We are all constantly expanding and growing and it's NOT because we are pigs or idiot Americans or any other reason than we are SUPPOSED to grow! We are supposed to thrive! And live! 

And create buildings and art and relationships and borders and rules and laws and then tear them all down to start fresh. Nothing lasts forever except That which keeps things together right now, which really is all of us, we are apart of It, and though it's impossible to truly understand it with your MIND (as you are understanding these words now with YOUR mind), you can accept that it's happening (this IS happening, don't you think?) and do your best to take part in It's beautiful existence. 

Life is to be enjoyed. That's why people GOD is LOVE. Think of how you LOVE your friends and family, your circle, and then think of that LOVE intensely, that acceptance, that ease expanded to everyone you meet. Interactions between Beings that are filled with LOVE promote spontaneity, creativeness, laughter, comfort, and joy, feelings which all Beings are meant to be filled with every day. 

It IS possible to create positivity wherever you go. To be a Light in the Dark. All you have to do is get your mind straight, that is, focus your intentions, that is do what you do and figure out a way to combine your efforts with the efforts of those around you and grow together as a community, my brothers and sisters. That is the Proper Way to live your life. To live in harmony with those around you, and the land you live in. If everyone did their part where they were at, we would be a pretty awesome place. Not everyone is meant to create huge empires and save the world through charity, but when one can shift their mind away from "What can the world give me?" to "What can I give the world?"… the sun will rise, painting beautiful colors across the sky, and the birds singing will be more sweet than ever before, and you will notice the frost on the ground as clear as the air you breath, and you will celebrate your existence with everyone else.

We are all here to learn about ourselves through engagement with each other. Money is nice to have but when one makes money the SOLE PURPOSE of life without regard to it's natural processes, separateness and misfortune are sure to arise. It does not matter much what you choose to do, as long as what you do makes you grow in some way while allowing others to live their lives and grow as well. By paying for a gym, you and helping yourself by motivation to work out, as well as helping the employees make money to do things They want in their spare time. We all seemingly indirectly (though really very directly) contribute to the existence of others and I think if everyone smiled a little more to one another and generally took more interest in what's happening in the world and allowed themselves to respond with honesty to others and receive feedback and continually shape their ideas and stay fresh and be much like a flame, with no real center of existence and always moving, yet rooted in one spot and always the same in some way, always burning, until it's end. But is it "dead"? Is it not still alive if it's flame was used to start other's flames? Or if another is lit after it, who is to say it is not the same flame? 

As a human, I don't know much about the existence of other realms after this one. Or life after death because I don't know anyone personally who's been there, nor do I remember doing so myself so I won't speak on that for now…

I think it's important to know that while we are all HERE. right NOW (Sunday, January 13, 2013 20:03:59 where I am) we can make the decision to learn the Proper Way to do whatever it is we are required to do, so that when we save ourselves and others time and health. In obtaining a wide skill set of Proper techniques for handling situations from driving to self-defense to playing the piano to picking out an outfit etc. etc., one not only serves their own interests, but the interests of others as well. By honing technique, you start to be able to think more moves ahead in our previously mentioned game of Chess. One can start to consider the opponents strategy and adjust their own according to that. When one begins to "win" in Life, it also invites others to See the Proper Way and start to make adjustments to the Proper Way themselves. We are like clouds who's drops contribute in the Pond of Life, some rain more than others and make more of a splash, some clouds drop medicine, and some poison. We all contribute in someway.

If you learn one new thing every day and use that to your benefit, think of how much knowledge you will have acquired in the next 20 years, and the decisions you will be able to make as a result of that knowledge. Knowledge is, as they say, power, and a life of promoting positivity and peace and harmony with others will lead to enlightened Beings who's lives start cultural and political revolutions, who spark movements which destroy old dogma, and who's voices alone heal nations. 

I am here to shine Light. And ever since I came to that obvious realization, my life has exponentially kept looking up. I invite you to do the same.

Here at Keep the Cool, I invite you to do the same. You will soon find interviews with young entrepreneurs, artists, and other ways amazing people who are making it happen for themselves in their community. Stay tuned for that, and thanks for reading.