I am starting this new weekly newsletter – The Almanack of Good Life – to share all that I am reading and reflecting upon about living a good life. It’s a new attempt, but I hope to take this far. In this age of constant information overload, I’ve found immense value in taking time to pause and reflect upon meaningful insights about life. This newsletter is my way of sharing that journey with you.
Each week, I’ll curate a selection of thought-provoking ideas, inspiring quotes, and practical wisdom I’ve encountered in my readings and personal reflections. My goal is to create a space for us to explore together what it means to live with purpose, kindness, and fulfilment. I look forward to your kind support.
The Japanese Ensō symbol in the banner above represents wholeness and the cyclical nature of life, while also reminding us to embrace the imperfection and the beauty of our incompleteness. Its minimalist design reflects the Zen principle that less is more. It’s like a visual way of saying “life is a journey, not a destination” and “perfection is overrated.”
What I’m Reading
The Flow of Life
Manish Chokhani told me this in the first episode of The One Percent Show –
Life is evolution. It is like when the raindrop falls, and then it becomes part of the river, and the river goes to the sea, and the sea gives out steam, and it becomes the cloud, and it comes back. So, it is a cycle, and the discovery of how we are part of this grander cycle of life is really the purpose and the journey that we have. And if you tell the drop of water that you have had such a long journey from the Himalayas to the Bay of Bengal to join with the sea, it is not a journey but a flow which was meant to be. And you have choices along the way of whether to take this track or that track. Do I end up in Arabian Sea or Indian Ocean? But we are going to end up in the sea, one way or the other. It is part of nature’s design.
If you think of it, the way we are designed so beautifully that the first 25 years of your life you are only thinking about yourself – I, me, myself. And you are learning, growing, getting an education, and so on. Then you find your partner, and suddenly, you start transferring your thoughts and attention to that person. Then you have children, and it suddenly multiplies. Then it multiplies into your organisation, then it multiplies into your society, then into your country, your world, your universe.
That is the nature of the way we are designed to evolve, to get closer and closer and closer to what I call the sea. And you realise that you are the wire which is transmitting the electricity which is there in the world. We talk of solar power, but we are also solar powered in a sense, and a part of this circle of life. We have to be the flow.
What a beautiful thought! Thinking of ourselves as both the travelers and the path is a liberating feeling. Like rivers carving their way through landscapes, we shape our destinies while being shaped by the contours of life. Our experiences, choices, and actions flow together, creating currents that influence the world around us.
As Manish mentioned, we are ultimately conduits of universal energy, much like leaves transforming sunlight into life-sustaining nourishment. Our purpose is not to resist this flow but to become one with it, recognizing that our individual streams are part of a vast ocean of consciousness.
To truly live is to embrace this flow, to recognize our role in this entire existence. It’s all about understanding that while we may seem separate, like individual notes in a symphony, we are all part of the same beautiful composition.
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The Paradox of Building Patience and Discipline
Thomas Sterner writes about a paradox of life in his book The Practicing Mind –
Patience, the ability to remain calm and accepting in the face of delay or adversity, is a virtue many aspire to possess. Yet, the journey to becoming patient often tests our existing reserves of patience.
We find ourselves frustrated by our lack of progress, ironically impatient with our impatience. This circular struggle can feel like trying to lift oneself off the ground – a seemingly impossible task.
Similarly, discipline – the practice of training oneself to behave in a controlled and systematic way – requires a foundation of self-control to build upon.
We need discipline to wake up early, stick to a routine, or maintain a new habit. But cultivating this discipline demands that we already possess some measure of it. It’s akin to needing money to make money. The initial investment of willpower is crucial.
The questions is – How do we develop these qualities when we need them to develop them in the first place? I think the answer lies in understanding that growth in any sphere of life, including becoming patient and disciplined, is not linear but cyclical and incremental. Each small act of patience or discipline, no matter how insignificant it may seem, builds upon itself. It’s a gradual process of reinforcement, where tiny victories accumulate into significant change over time.
All you need to do is – start small, then build on.
Setbacks will be a part of the journey, but remember that the very act of trying to build on will itself be an exercise in these virtues.
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Real Wealth
James Clear on the “real” wealth in life –
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Write for Yourself
Lawrence Yeo’s More to That is one of my favourite blogs. In his post Write for Yourself, and Wisdom Will Follow, he writes something beautiful that I highly relate to –
The power of writing is not about the praise you receive from others. It’s about the realization that a kinder and wiser version of yourself is accessible whenever you need that person the most.
Whenever I have put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), I have often surprised myself. I have uncovered thoughts and feelings I didn’t know I had. I’ve found clarity in confusion and hope in moments of doubt.
I’ve also realized that it’s through writing that we can access a part of ourselves that’s more patient, more understanding, and often wiser than we realize.
Of course, staring at a blank paper or a screen is never easy. It’s challenging to face our thoughts honestly. But when we do so, we create a dialogue with our best selves – the version of us that we aspire to be.
If you are not doing it already, I encourage you to write not just as a means of communication but as a pathway to better understanding yourself and for your personal growth. Whether it’s journaling, creative writing, or even jotting down quick notes, let your words be a mirror reflecting your innermost wisdom.
The Sketchbook of Wisdom: A Hand-Crafted Manual on the Pursuit of Wealth and Good Life.
This is a masterpiece.
– Morgan Housel, Author, The Psychology of Money
Book Recommendation
Tuesdays with Morrie is one of the best books I have read on living a good life. It’s a conversation between a student (the author, Mitch Albom) and his ex-teacher (Morrie Schwartz), who is fast approaching death due to a debilitating disease. Here’s a beautiful passage –
So many people walk around with a meaningless life. They seem half-asleep, even when they’re busy doing things they think are important. This is because they’re chasing the wrong things. The way you get meaning into your life is to devote yourself to loving others, devote yourself to your community around you, and devote yourself to creating something that gives you purpose and meaning.
As Morrie told Mitch, a truly meaningful life is one lived with intention, compassion, and a sense of purpose that extends beyond our individual selves. It requires us to wake up from the slumber of meaningless pursuits and engage fully with the richness of the world around us.
I highly recommend Tuesdays with Morrie.
Quotes I am Reflecting On
“We are what our thoughts have made us. So take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live. They travel far.”
– Swami Vivekananda
Don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.
– Robert Fulghum
…the iron prescription: every time you think some person, or some unfairness is ruining your life, it is you who are ruining your life.
– Charlie Munger
That’s all from me for today.
Let me know your thoughts on this first issue of The Almanack of Good Life newsletter, and ways I can improve it. Also, if you have ideas or resources you think I can share in future letters, please email them to me at vishal[at]safalniveshak[dot]com.
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Thank you for your time and attention.
~ Vishal