The sun has always fascinated me.

I once read that since it’s on fire, it’s shrinking by 5 feet every hour.  But because it’s so huge, that equates to about 0.1% per century.  All told, it shouldn’t be extinguished for about 5 billion years or so.  Think we’re ok for now.  The sun goes about its business heating the Earth and providing life-creating energy.  But if you stare at the sun for too long, you’ll most certainly ruin your eyesight.

Sleep is weird too.  Your body needs it.  It’s essential for recovery for your body and mind to function properly.  Yet, if you sleep too much, your muscles atrophy and you slip into a sedentary state.

Stress.  Necessary for the brain to learn and our muscles to grow, but stress beyond a certain point loses its value and causes us many physical and mental challenges.

So, just about anything in life comes down to the amount and degree of use.  There are healthy, and unhealthy ranges.  There are beneficial, and harmful amounts.  There are proper, and improper uses.

It’s good to have stress to keep you sharp, at the ready, and strong.  But it’s bad to have so much stress that you’re burned out, fragile, and impaired.

This is true with discipline as well.  You want enough discipline in your life to keep you engaged, productive and fulfilled.  But not so much that you’re inflexible, joyless, and robotic.

You don’t stay inside for the rest of your life because you got a sunburn one time.  You learn to moderate your exposure.  You don’t forego sleep because it seems lazy or unnecessary.  You figure out the amount you need and get up at the alarm.  You don’t shy away from stress because it strains your mental state.  You learn your tipping points and work to regulate them.

Don’t avoid discipline because it makes your life hard.  Figure out the right amount that maximizes your purpose and your priorities.  Discipline may be the thing you need to break through to the next level.

Sun, sleep, stress, discipline.

May you find the right balance of these things, and, for that matter, all of what life throws at you today.  The Best Is Ahead!