King David and the balance universal: great wealth is so often accompanied by pains and woes.

Incessant, unending human striving: that with great dissipation comes great corrosion.

David the Shepherd Boy, as a case study, was banished to menial labor of babysitting sheep.

Until.

God sent him forth.  Blessing him.

One would think, this was all: that he was lucky.  After crowned as king, he would be wealthy, satiated, and in all ways indulging in politically and socially ordained bliss.  With a word, he could clear away anyone's assets into his own coffers; and he could likewise be brought wives and comely servants.

Roll end credits, cue the Celine.

But for the universe, and its firm but fair sense of balance.

The leery men, the neighboring kingdoms, and the moral code itself came forth to address the balance.  In all ways, his wealth and power had created dozens of enemies and usurpers.  Not to mention the invading armies that threatened.

Such was worries that accompanied such greater rewards--as if the universe gave him a sort of teeter-totter from which to faceplant at any time.

Or would he enjoy it, catch the rhythm, and simply ride?

Somewhere in all his troubles, he writes:

Sing unto the Lord a new song!

and

Restore the joy of my salvation, oh Lord!

There was Bathsheba, a romantic conquest whom he commanded, about whom he orchestrated murder to secure her as a long-term romantic conquest.

Derisively, his conscience was melted with the words, "thou are the man".

How the universe, possibly at the countenance of the lunar body in the night, makes a wry smile, as if knowing.

Becoming Monolithic: Finding Your Inner Strength.

“Remaining calm in adversity is a sign of great spiritual strength. No matter what's going on in your life right now, "Hold your peace!"”

The world can seem chaotic, often times, constant change, and having a set compass point in the mind helps one to glide through life’s challenges—becoming a serene bubble in the midst of tumult and disorder.

Decide your values.

Get to know yourself.

Access your own inner wisdom.

Having an “unshakeable core” means you know who you are, and of the shifting tides of emotion, you can realign as necessary:

--you know what determines your own happiness.

After clarifying, process comes into play:

--a cycle of focus to keep yourself motivated.

--adaptability, sailing on instead of sinking or being dashed against the shore rocks.

Mitigating factors of varying intensity for some folks are Faith, Nature and Self Expression.  Each represents disciplines that observe diligence to both self and cosmos.  Philosophy, religion, and art bring us closer to the Ancient “Music” of contemplation.

Remember: eudaimonia or tranquility is as much about balance as it is suppression.

Even a monolith knows that ‘holding your peace’ is as much ‘finding your peace’, which might require taking part in life’s symphony, in which the crescendos and the silences alike are welcomed.

"flower of the age": if thou keep observance, see to it well.

For your own profit and to release you from the snare of the flower of the age, I say attend upon the Lord without distraction.  What you see to, keep it well. (1 Corinthians)

 

Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, to whom the Lord has removed the burden of self-destruction.  His sin is covered, and in his spirit is no dispute. (Psalm 32) 

Devotional version of Psalm 31, of mindset and hope.

Woe devoured the eye, the soul and the belly.

Life and years in grievance and bitter wonder!

I worked at that grinding wheel of self-destruction until my endurance waned, and it ate at my foundations.

But I trusted in God, and God loved me.

 

My enemies reproved me among my neighbors, and my neighbors were afraid I would notice them avoiding me.

Dead, to some, and wished forgotten to others, my vessel was broken.

Slanderous and fearful counsel contrived designs of my destruction.

But I trusted in God, and God loved me.

 

When I called upon Him, my shame disappeared, and later I would witness touches of that phylum of shame among the proud and contemptuous.

God’s presence was a secret to the pride of man, but I was allowed into the presence.

Because I trust in God, and God loves me.

-Psalm 31 paraphrased, reflecting as much personal annoyance and something near depression, as implying national concerns, or internal politics among his own people.  One could boil through the some of the psalms quite a while before coming to something of relevance; the hope among us is that some part of it speaks to the modern Consumer.

Some Synonyms of "Resilience".

Resilience.

A modern buzzword of advice gurus from productivity to mental health.

Resilience: The ability to recover from setbacks and adapt to change.

Fortitude: Mental strength, courage, and resilience when faced with difficulty, danger, or adversity.

Courage: The ability to confront fear, pain, danger, uncertainty, or intimidation.

Stick-to-it-ive-ness: Dogged perseverance or tenacity.

Dogged Perseverance: Persistent determination.

Steadfastness: Firm, unwavering loyalty or resolve.

Endurance: The ability to withstand hardship or adversity.

Persistence: The quality of continuing steadily despite problems or difficulties.

Tenacity: The quality of being very determined and not easily giving up.

Indomitable Spirit: A quality of being strong, brave, and impossible to defeat or make frightened.

Unyielding: Not giving way to pressure; unlikely to be swayed; completely unwilling to change a decision, opinion, demand, etc.

Unwavering: Steady or resolute; never moving or looking away from something; never changing or becoming weaker.

Untiring: Continuing or persisting without declining in strength or vigor.

Steady: Unwavering, and oriented in a straight path with no deviations.

Determined: Decided and committed to seeking a particular outcome or course.

Set: (determined)

Nature and one's own nature: to thine own self, and seeing to the rudder.

Whether it paints an azure sky or marks a wounded leg,

Nature’s honesty is unfiltered and clear.

It does not choose sides or offer excuses,

whereas humans speculate and patronize,

Nature remains forthright to everyone.

It does not discern between virtue and vice,

All it knows is perpetual change.

 

Nature sings of God to reason’s ears.

 

The things which are external to my mind have no relation at all to my mind.

–Let this be the state of your affects, the mark of your calling, and you stand straight.  To recover thy life is in thy power.  Look at things again as thou didst use to look at them, for in this vital practice sits the recovery of thy life. 

-Marcus Aurelius Chapter 7

 

Your own values shape your own life.

 

You have the power to inflict your own value system on many aspects of your life.

 Living true to your own virtues that you craft a life of success and fulfillment. 

What do I have to complain about if I am going to do what I was born for—the things I was brought into the world to do? - Marcus Aurelius, Chapter 5 

Stand firm in the conviction that your life is yours to shape, and in doing so, you become the architect of your destiny.

Mark success by how closely you held to your own values.

Decide your path wisely.

 

REMEMBER

Pause, ponder, and permit yourself to evolve. 

Re-evaluate your compass on a regular basis and steer your course with renewed purpose and insight.

Life demands not a mere adherence to values but an active engagement with them.

*gaze upon the work of our hands with a critical eye.

*ponder the depth of your experiences.

*permit yourself the grace to evolve.

 

“Your schedule is your servant, not your master: its works for you.” -Stephen Covey

 

The hustle and the workplace of today.

From Promises to Reality

Leaders and educators once assured young people that higher education was the golden ticket to success. They promised high-paying jobs for university graduates. However, reality has diverged from these assurances. Many college graduates find themselves in unskilled hourly positions, performing tasks that don’t align with their degrees.

Enter the Gig Economy

The gig economy emerged as a response to this shifting landscape. Instead of traditional 9-to-5 jobs, people now take on short-term, project-based work. They slice tasks from larger roles, earning money per assignment. This flexibility allows individuals to explore diverse opportunities and adapt to changing demands.

The Pandemic’s Influence

COVID-19 accelerated this trend. Remote work became the norm, blurring the lines between office and home. People juggled their regular jobs with side gigs, seeking financial stability and personal growth.

Hybrid Roles: The New Normal

Imagine an employee who works an unskilled hourly job during the day but moonlights as a Project Manager or Content Editor. These hybrid roles blend skills and interests, maximizing income and fulfillment. It’s a creative way to thrive in the gig economy.

Imagine if you will, cleaning bathrooms as your regular hustle for steady income, 

but ALSO 

managing project scrums or social media campaigns for the same employer on a gig basis.

Gig Worker Networking

joinfud - social media-based hustles, community and resources.

UpWork community offers different resources for "gig workers".

Courses for adding skills:

Coursera 

Udemy

LinkedInLearning 

GIG Job Boards

Fiverr

Freelancer

OpenDoor

Upwork