Hello.

It has been a hectic week but we do what we must. Recently, Sir. Richard Branson, a notable business magnate informed the world that he would be entering into a competition - kite surfing - with the former president of the United States, Barack Obama. Watching the few clips online, and remembering words from a couple of his books, there is no doubt that Branson enjoys a life filled with purpose and excitement.

One has to wonder what measures one can take to ensure that we live a fulfilling and purposeful life. These are a few ways to achieve a happy balance:

One.

Love Your Body.

If there is any home we should be proud of, it is our body. We live in it from the moment we are born to the moment we die and it is very important to treat it with the utmost respect. How can we love our body? First we respect our bodies by ensuring that the food that goes into it is healthy enough to serve our nutritional requirements. We can also pamper our bodies by first ensuring that we are clean and well groomed, and engaging in body care rituals. Personally, body scrubs are fantastic and can be made with as little as one natural ingredient. Finally, we love our bodies by loving our bodies, by learning to appreciate the skin we wear, its bumps and curves and planes - imperfections and all. 

Two.

Read.

There is nothing more attractive than a well-read mind. That sounds like a quote. Reading opens up your mind to new ideas, as simple as a new recipe or as complex as astrophysics. Taking the time out to read can be difficult in the midst of a hectic schedule, however there are ways to make this work. Taking a book on commutes is a good way to get some reading in. However you do it, it's always good to commit oneself to a life of self-improvement. In any case a good read makes for interesting conversation.

Three.

Travel.

When we hear travel, sometimes it sounds exciting, however we worry about the costs of trips around the world. However, there are so many people making it work. What is travel? Travel is making a journey. It is important to see the world we live in, to experience the cultures and taste the foods and meet the people. It brings a certain joie de vivre. Travel also make you less ignorant. It is amazing how many people think that Africa is a country. Take a chance on life. See the world and let the world see you.

Four.

Experiment.

You need to fail. The more you fail, the probability of success increases. The more you fail, the easier it is to accept failure as a part of the process and not the end of it. To fail, we must first try. Try new things. Step out of your comfort zone. Write a list of things you think would be fun to do and schedule the time to do them. Experiment with a new career, a side business, a new hairstyle. Change is constant and most times change is good when it shakes up the dusty routine of your old life and brings you to the realization that there is so much to do with your life.

xo

The Nines and Prosper Team