Happy Sif’s Day. 

Journal Entry:

The self virtues do have their outward toward others component but their main focus is on strengthening me, myself, and I.  It is the strength of Discipline, Perseverance, and  Fidelitycombined into the wisdom they bring that gives me my personal overall strength.  All of them either build that strength or preserve it.

When I first started following the Nine Noble Virtues it was about having a code to give me an overall foundation for my life after casting off the shackles of my former faith and life.  Virtues have become the centerpiece of my life and the Asatru virtues are some of the best and a list that resonates with me and my personally the most.  My realization I am an atheist and have been for quite some time does not change that.  The goal is to live a good life and the virtues lead me to that regardless of where they came from.

Discipline:

“Discipline is the willingness to be hard on oneself first and then if needed help with the development with others, so that greater purposes may be achieved.”

Principle: Apply discipline to every aspect of life that it can be applied.

Goal: To be following a full Paleo Diet by March 31, 2020.

Bucket List: Do a rebellious act on April 30th, 2020 – Beltane.

My routines are the main expression of this virtue.  I don’t think I am hard enough on myself. I need to make sure that each and every day the checklists and routines are done so there is peace of mind as I go into times of relaxing and enjoying life.

Perseverance:

“Perseverance is the ability to stand up and return from defeat and failure”

Principle: Keep getting up after every defeat or failure.

Goal: To engage in an exercise program that involves weightlifting, hiking/walking, and stretching/ yoga an average of three days a week from April 1st, 2019 to March 31st, 2020

Bucket List: To get at least one tattoo by March 18th, 2020.

I guess part of perseverance I should add is to learn from each defeat and failure.  yeah, I still want to get up every time, but I would also like to fall down less and that comes form learning.

Fidelity:

“Fidelity is the will to be loyal to one’s moral philosophy, to one’s family, one’s friends, and most important to one’s self, and loyalty to one’s friends is valued as highly as loyalty to one’s family.”

Principle: Be loyal to those who have been loyal to me.

Goal: Celebrate my wife and I’s 30th anniversary (June 10th, 2019) with a mini-vacation (achieved)

Bucket List: Discover all the countries of origin from my genetics and visit them all by March 18th, 2029.

This is a hard virtue because I have very high standards of loyalty.  So to me, a person can appear to betray me a lot easier than I should probably think.  It’s my perception that it can be a problem.  I am as fierce as a bear when it comes to protecting my own and those who are loyal to me, but that is a very exclusive club.

Higher Virtue – Wisdom:

The whole point of all the virtues in many ways is to gain and live by wisdom. I just need to understand the center of this and its core in many ways is my understanding of myself and learning to discipline myself better.

Rest Day Routine: 

1. Morning Routine
2. Wife: Communication / Cuddle Time
3. Blogging – Organize, revise, write a new post for the next day, 15 min. work on fiction.
4. Cleaning – varies but one room of the apartment at least.
5. Reading – 1/7th of a book
6. Writing – 3000 Words

Solid.  I actually had some success with this routine this week.

Goals and Bucket List Items Achieved (Since Summer 2018):

Goals Achieved: 5

1. Graduated College with a BS in Political Science and minors in Economics and International Business – December 2018
2. Finalize last requirements for my degree – Internship by May 2019 – May 2019
3. Celebrate my wife and I’s 30th anniversary (June 10th, 2019) with a mini-vacation – June 2019
4. Maintain a daily blog streak of one post per day for an entire year (365 days).
5. By March 31st of 2020, to be the leader/participant in a group of some kind.

Bucket List Items Achieved: 0

I remain,

The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.

Skaal!!!