53 was a difficult but great year but 54 will be the same I think. I have no idea what challenges will arise, but there will certainly be challenges. I’m starting from a great mindset in that I clocked a lot of failures last year and also made a lot of friends – this continued all the way to midnight last night. I learned so much about myself and what drives me. I really am excited about where things will go this year.
Coming to terms with ugly truths is never easy but when you do, they make you stronger.
This is the start of my sixth nine year cycle in life. It’s great that it’s 6 and 9 (not just for the meme) but also for the balance, the yin and yang, the tai chi ultimate symbol, and my slight obsession with the number nine and the number three. 54 marks the pinnacle of three 18 year cycles in addition to the sixth nine year cycle. And 5 plus 4 equals nine. So from a number point of view it means a lot. I’ve had some friends tell me some things about astrology and cycles ending and restarting as well, so all of that is pretty good portend if you believe in that stuff.
In Japan (and the East) , today was my birthday. In the West, tomorrow is my birthday. So I get both. Today, I launched what will be the final tech project I try to put together * (my friend Ed told me to include that asterisk because things change in life – so there it is.) To mark my 54th birthday, I asked all my friends and family on all my social networks to join Xcrol, the project I have decided to put all my energy and focus into.
That seems to have brought around five new people into the network, which is great. I suppose it can be said that I squandered their goodwill over the years asking them to like my books, help promote my startups, or interact with me. It’s been a cycle of diminished returns for a while now. There was a point when I tell myself I had influence but that point is certainly not now on the cusp of my 54th between east and west. And yet, I do feel it’s coming. So I’m grateful to those five people who put their attention on what I was doing today.
This is what I posted :
According to the social counts – that would have been seen by around 10,000 people but I’m sure that isn’t the case. If it is, ummm…yeah. Well, I guess it could be that I am ignored by that many people I have connections with or who follow me.
This year my focus is on creating, family, and health. Actually in the order of health, family, and creation. And on making Xcrol work.
Here’s my annual reflection – in video form: https://indignified.substack.com/p/indignified-my-year-in-review
If you’re interested in my annual birthday reflections you can find the chain of them leading back a ways here.