Tom's last journal entry

This is Tom's final journal entry. . .written September 18th, the day he went to the ER. I'm so glad he wrote this. ..to know he was happy at the end of his life.

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“How the life I’d hoped for. . .it’s huge to finally embrace the life you’d never planned on.” - from the movie “Greenberg”

Yes, a mark of profound maturity, AND, one of the requirements of contentment.
Contentment requires the relinquishment of the youthful urge to do it all. . .or to taste from many different pots. . .or to be a dilletante, etc. and, rather, to look at one’s present life and pour one’s formerly scattered, fantasizing energy into it- optimizing what one has.

So. . .contrary to a lifetime of my journal entries, I look at my life and find the I HAVE the elements of contentment.
 Stable relationship with someone who seems to accept me & who has skills & willingness to deal with the stuff that comes up.
 Nice home
 Habits (presently needing boost) & knowledge of exercise & nutrition
 Knowledge. ..& weak meditation habit (needs boost)
 Knowledge & (weak habit) of benefit of EARLY rising. . .or middle of night

I don’t need to add anything dramatically new & different to my life – I just need to see that everything I need is already there. THAT is the “change” that is needed.

Practically speaking, I simply will benefit from augmenting the good things in my life, while diminishing the harmful things. Simple as that. No new tricks are required.

This is the contentment menu at my café. It’s not a black/white, All/nothing deal. It’s as simple as this: for optimal health & contentment, eat mostly these foods, minimize eating from the discontentment menu.

Good Menu Bad Menu
Early rising Regular late rising
Morning meditation
Morning pages
4x/wk bike
1x/wk weights
stretching
early breakfast
early am brassicas
juicing
curiousity about Elizabeth
tending to Elizabeth
making & keeping E #1