One month into the 2022 Year of the Yang Water Tiger, what have you accomplished? Did you roar, leap, and pounce upon your goal? Or did you creep along silently resulting in no forward progress? Did the exciting energy generated by the Yang Tiger already fizzle out like a 3-day old opened bottle of champagne?
If you admit to the latter, I know the diagnosis; luckily, the treatment is holistic, no insurance coverage needed. But, as they say, “you must act fast!” Start today.
The diagnosis is … self-defeating habits. No matter the goal for this Tiger year, self-defeating habits subvert any chances of success. The treatment begins with acknowledging this truth: we are stronger than our habits.
The habit of Fear, false and otherwise. It’s a killer of living well. Schoolyard bullies understand at an early age the power of fear. Recently, we’ve seen the rise of the adult version of the schoolyard bully. Power was wielded with impunity. Some learned to love obeying, freely relinquishing living well. Others refused to obey, but entered a virtual battleground every day outside their homes. For freedom-loving Tiger people, life in a battleground is NOT living well. Only bullies, loving their power to cause fear, lived ‘well’ — through hate — the last 2 years.
Here’s where we can learn from Tiger children, who face their schoolyard oppressors courageously, roaring with strength and pride: “You are NOT the boss of me.” We may only live once and deserve all the rights and freedoms to make our own best choices. We were born to live well — not to be fearless, but to fear less.
The habit of Inactivity. Living the Good Life requires effort – be thankful for that. To expend effort IS to be alive! Accomplishing goals produces something that cannot be bought: the pride that fuels us to keep achieving successes. Goals unacted upon lead to … absolutely nothing changing for the better. Never settle. To live well is to constantly improve, change, act, dream, and be challenged.
While some were busy obeying, and others remained on home confinement, Tiger watched and waited. On 1 February 2022, TIGER appeared.
If nothing interesting or wonderful has occurred since 1 February, here are two fast-acting remedies: (1) Shift your attitude! Allow, notice, welcome, and create opportunities. Don’t ignore or shut down an offer, invitation, or a chance to play at the game of life without due consideration. (2) Reflect, each night, on something done that day that makes you proud. Big or small. Soon those daily actions will grow in importance. It works. When you are answerable to yourself daily, you ARE the boss of you – and don’t give yourself a day off!
DECLUTTER: Yes, a Feng Shui cure again!
Your Home Environment: Leaving behind what no longer serves you is truly life enhancing, e.g., furnishings and clothes you never loved, foods that do NOT serve (and actually harm) your health and well-being, excess stuff of all kinds – especially paper. Your home should calm, support, and energize you; give off good vibes and invite in happiness; and say about you what you want said about you, which is that you live well, deserve, and accept only what serves your best life.
You: Commit to a life lived well, healthfully, and elegantly. Be honest about how you’re affected by the people with whom you associate; saying yes or no when you mean the opposite; your physical activity needs and, most importantly, your thoughts and words. The last 2-3 years have seen an increase of hatred, vulgarity, anger, and poverty of wealth, hope, and spirit. That was then.
But this is now. 2022. This is TIGER!
All of us are, in some way, a Tiger this year. Tigers know what they need, they’re smart and sleek, they plan and act, and don’t waste precious time. February is gone and there is, literally, one month less in our lives. How do you want to live now, and what will be your legacy? Choose happiness, holistic health, and riches of all varieties. Create your own personal paradise, and those around you will benefit. Your birthright and obligation in life is to live abundantly, to be a producer of goodness, positivity, and living well, and to spread this outward to as many people as possible.
“He who rides the Tiger finds it difficult to dismount.” Chinese proverb.
