Writing Love Letters Like a Soldier From Long Distance. The thing women most want on Valentine’s Day is not jewelry or chocolate but a love note from you. A Hallmark card with some prefabricated message simply won’t do. Women want to hear words straight from your heart. But writing a well-crafted love note is no easy task. They can quickly devolve into trite, cliche mushiness that doesn’t say anything meaningful. Nothing is more romantic and tragic than the last letter a soldier writes home before being killed in action. Ballou was an American patriot who immediately and voluntarily left his career and family and enlisted in the Union army when the Civil War commenced.
July the 14th, 1861Washington D.C.My very dear Sarah:The indications are very strong that we shall move in a few days-perhaps tomorrow. After you read the letter listen to a shortened version in this clip from Ken Burn’s Civil War documentary. Feeling inspired now? How to Be Reliable: 15 Maxims on Becoming a Reliable Man. As we head into our last week of this “Heading Out on Your Own” series, I’d like to pause from our “harder,” more practical skills to talk about a character trait, that, like self-reliance, is both an important building block in your life’s foundation, and, unfortunately, too often in short supply amongst young men.
Being reliable. The word reliable has its origins in relier, Old French for “fasten” or “attach;” the reliable man was an immovable pillar of strength on which you could hang your hat, someone you could lean and depend on, a man you could trust. Compare that image with its opposite: the flake. Floating, drifting, fragile. Melting as soon as it meets any resistance. We’ve all known reliable men, and we’ve all known flakes. Why Be Reliable? “Only recently a prominent public man was criticized throughout the newspaper world as one not having enough character to keep his promises. The reliable man forges deeper relationships. The reliable man receives greater opportunities. 1. 2. Becoming a Man: Selflessness, Humility and Consistency. Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Cameron Schaefer, author of Schaefer’s Blog, a site dedicated to better living.
Make sure to check it out and subscribe to his RSS feed. Cameron is a graduate of the Air Force Academy and flies C-17s for a living. In the modern techno-industrial culture, it is possible to proceed from infancy into senility without ever knowing manhood. ~ Edward Abbey Six weeks ago I became a father. This experience has changed my life. But more than anything it has got me thinking about being a man. I have noticed this more in the past few years as I’ve passed these points one by one. But are these life events really the best indicators of manhood? I wonder if in reality the whole process is somewhat counterintuitive, consisting more of dying to self and wrestling with humility, than inflating our ego and becoming the type-A Johnny we often see hailed in culture as “the Man.”
Selflessness Men live for someone or something greater than themselves. Consistency. A Man Is Punctual: The Importance of Being on Time. The life of George Washington was characterized by a scrupulous regard for punctuality. When he asked a man to bring by some horses he was interested in buying at five in the morning, and the man arrived fifteen minutes late, he was told by the stable groom that the general had been waiting there at five, but had now moved on to other business, and that he wouldn’t be able to examine the horses again until the following week. When he told Congress that he’d meet with them at noon, he could almost always be found striding into the chamber just as the clock was striking twelve.
Washington’s promptness extended to his mealtimes as well. He ate dinner each day at exactly 4 o’clock, and when he invited members of Congress to dine with him, and they arrived late, they were often surprised to find the president halfway done with his meal or even pushing back from the table. We may no longer live in an age of knickers and powdered wigs, but being punctual is just as important as it ever was. Gladiator Lessons on Manliness. There’s a reason men (and women) loved “Gladiator.” The main character Maximus Decimus Meridius is the epitome of manliness. Here are four lessons on manliness that we can learn from him. He loved his family and was loyal to them Maximus was a family man. Marcus Aurelius: When was the last time you were home? Although Maximus’ wife was brutally murdered, this did not dampen his devotion to her. [Maximus looks at images of his wife and son] Juba: Can they hear you?
He loved his country Before Maximus became a gladiator, he was a loyal general in the Roman army. When Rome falls into corrupted hands, he did not give up on his country. He could kick anyone’s ass, yet remained honorable. “Gladiator” is known for its amazing fight scenes. Maximus: At my signal, unleash hell. While Maximus excelled at the martial arts, he did not revel in bloodshed.
He was in tune with spirituality Maximus Decimus Meridius: What we do in life, echoes in eternity. Maximus devoted time to his spiritual life. Manvotional: The Majesty of Calmness. “The Majesty of Calmness”From Self Control, Its Kingship and Majesty, 1905 By William George JordanCalmness is the rarest quality in human life. It is the poise of a great nature, in harmony with itself and its ideals.
It is the moral atmosphere of a life self-reliant and self-controlled. Calmness is singleness of purpose, absolute confidence, and conscious power—ready to be focused in an instant to meet any crisis.The Sphinx is not a true type of calmness—petrifaction is not calmness; it is death, the silencing of all the energies; while no one lives his life more fully, more intensely and more consciously than the man who is calm. The Fatalist is not calm.
He is the coward slave of his environment, hopelessly surrendering to his present condition, recklessly indifferent to his future. He accepts his life as a rudderless ship, drifting on the ocean of time. The man who is calm has his course in life clearly marked on his chart. Calmness comes ever from within. Enjoy this Manvotional? Manvotional: The Courage to Face Ingratitude. With Thanksgiving this week, many minds will be turning to the things they are grateful for. But here’s a twist on the subject not often explored: what do you do when others do not share your attitude of gratitude and your good turns go unappreciated? Our good friend William George Jordan offers up a veritable cornucopia of powerful thoughts. “The Courage to Face Ingratitude”From The Power of Truth; Individual Problems and Possibilities, 1902By William George Jordan INGRATITUDE, the most popular sin of humanity, is forgetfulness of the heart.
It is the revelation of the emptiness of pretended loyalty. The individual who possesses it finds it the shortest cut to all the other vices. Ingratitude is a crime more despicable than revenge, which is only returning evil for evil, while ingratitude returns evil for good… Gratitude is thankfulness expressed in action. The expectation of gratitude is human; the rising superior to ingratitude is almost divine.
Self-Motivation: 4 Easy Steps To Get Motivated. Are you still living in mom and dad’s basement playing Guitar Hero all night? Stuck in a dead end job that pays minimum wage? Have you still not finished school? If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re not alone. Studies have shown that men ages 21 to 33 have turned into a bunch of unmovtivated slackers. If you’re tired of your lackluster and boring life and are ready to shift out of neutral, here are 4 steps to get you motivated and on the right track. 1. 2. 3. 4. Tagged as: career, money, motivation, success.
How to Increase Confidence. Manly men are confident men. People are attracted to men who project confidence. Sadly, many men these days lack any confidence at all. Some mope around with their head down, wallowing in self pity. Others confuse manly confidence with boyish cockiness. Manly confidence is quiet; it’s unpretentious. The steps below will get you on the right track for increasing your confidence. Spruce up your appearance. In addition, take time to actually dress yourself in the morning.
Set goals and meet them. Exercise. Learn a new skill. Take stock of past success. Now it’s your turn. Dressing Sharp & Casual: The Comprehensive Guide for Young Men. Custom suits and imported silk ties look great, but they’re not a lot of use to young men in their late teens and early 20s. Even if you could afford that kind of a wardrobe (most can’t), there’s no place to wear it – it’s far too formal for socializing with 20-somethings, and very few men are walking out of college and straight into high-powered financial or legal offices. So much of the advice on how to dress well as a man isn’t all that useful for high school and college students, or even for post-grad students and working 20-somethings.
A good suit is useful to own, but not something you’re going to be wearing when you go out with friends. So what to wear instead? The trick is diversifying – taking the same casual level of dress that most young men wear, and adding new looks to it to stay sharp without looking stuffy. The Varied Wardrobe: A Young Man’s Friend Here are a few basic staples of most young men’s wardrobes, and some alternatives to them that can be worn stylishly but casually: Cool Material - Stuff Guys Want. The Fitness And State Of Mind Of A Royal Marines Commando. Approach the impossible with steely grit and intense inner belief by training and thinking like a Royal Marines Commando. Image by jpw_para The Royal Marines are the Royal Navy's amphibious infantry on permanent readiness to deploy across the globe, and is a core component of the UK's Joint Rapid Reaction Force.
In short, . Much like the U.S Marine Corps, the Royal Marines are a flexible infantry force. To achieve their goals Marines need a very high level of all around fitness, as well as a positive and determined state of mind. When I think of a Royal Marine, I see . Whatever your goals, to achieving them. We are what we repeatedly do. This is the ethos of the Royal Marines.
The Commando Spirit Courage Determination Unselfishness Cheerfulness in the face of adversity On paper, these attributes seem simple and anybody looking to put together a quick list of ways to improve themselves could recite them. It's actually quite simple. . - You can't push yourself forward with a pat on the back. The Choice-Minimal Lifestyle: 6 Formulas for More Output and Less Overwhelm. Photo: CyboRoz I was stressed out… over dog cartoons. It was 9:47pm at Barnes and Noble on a recent Saturday night, and I had 13 minutes to find a suitable exchange for “The New Yorker Dog Cartoons,” $22 of expensive paper. Bestsellers? Staff recommends? Beginning to feel overwhelmed with a ridiculous errand I’d expected to take five minutes, I stumbled across the psychology section. -The more options you consider, the more buyer’s regret you’ll have. This raises an difficult question: Is it better to have the best outcome but be less satisfied, or have an acceptable outcome and be satisfied?
For example, would you rather deliberate for months and get the 1 of 20 houses that’s the best investment but second-guess yourself until you sell it 5 years later; or would you rather get a house that is 80% of the investment potential of the former (still to be sold at a profit) but never second-guess it? Tough call. One call wasn’t tough: he recommends making non-returnable purchases.
Therefore: 1. Working Smarter, No Matter Your Income Level or Economic Situation. Yesterday, I made the apparently controversial point that hard work and smart work can lead anyone to success. I heard all the usual responses to this – that some people are born with genetic gifts, that a “white man” has all the advantages, that people can work their fingers to the bone and never get ahead, and the blind accusation that I must have never been poor.
I grew up in a loving household with two wonderful parents. We were financially poor – at times, we were very poor. My parents were faced with a lot of difficult choices and they made a lot of sacrifices to give me some great opportunities in life. We weren’t the poorest around, either – I constantly witnessed people in much worse situations than ours. What I witnessed time and time again is that most poor people do work hard – very hard. This is the crucial point where the “work smarter” aspect comes into play. Don’t believe me? Turn off the television at night. Do everything you can do at work as well as you possibly can. Tools, Gear + Resources to Help You Study Smarter « My Life Scoop. Another semester of school has started. If you’re not happy with how last semester’s grades turned out, this is your chance to turn it around.
In college and law school, I learned that academic success comes to the students who study smarter, not harder. I also learned that successful students utilized technology to achieve their academic goals. Below, I’ve rounded up seven tech tools to help you study smarter this semester. And best of all for the college student on a ramen-noodle budget, many of them are free. Evernote Smart students take notes. Evernote is crammed with features that will help you upgrade your note-taking experience.
Evernote works across operating systems and also has smartphone apps that allow you to take notes while you’re rushing from one class to the next. Free Audio-Technica ATH-ANC1 QuietPoint Noise-Canceling Headphones When a cacophony of noises is distracting you from studying, a pair of noise-canceling headphones can bring silent, sweet relief. Focus Booster. The Company Man’s Guide to Starting a Side Hustle — Part I: Confronting Your Objections. Editor’s note: This is Part 1 of a 2 part series by Tyler Tervooren of Advanced Riskology, creator of The Bootstrapper Guild.
It’s a rare man that doesn’t—at some juncture of his life—stop to question how things might be different if he worked for himself. Even a man who loves his job occasionally wonders what it might be like to strike out on his own and follow some crazy, half-baked notion. Self-employment is a dream held by many men but acted on by few. The reasons for this are many, but from my vantage point, most of the reasons practical men decide never to give themselves a chance to start their own side hustle is because much of what we learn about it—at least in The U.S.
In my short life so far, I’ve run four different very-small-businesses (I call them micro-businesses) and I can say, without doubt, that the way they came to be do not match any fairytale seen on TV. They were small. The truth may be quite different. Time to Confront Your Objections Let’s get started. Why? That’s it. Theodore Roosevelt Accomplishments. Childhood of Theodore Roosevelt. How to Get a Job Promotion. Study Tips for College Success. From Idea to Reality: A One-Year Case Study on Launching a Successful Business. Facts about Benjamin Franklin: The Virtues of Life. Making Good First Impressions: Free Job Interview Tips. Negative Savings Rate: Lame Excuses for Not Saving Money. Heading Out On Your Own – Day 3: How to Open and Manage a Checking Account. Leadership Lessons from Dwight D. Eisenhower #2: How to Not Let Anger and Criticism Get the Best of You.