The four cornerstones of character on which the structure of this nation was built are: Initiative, Imagination, Individuality, and Independence.
~Edward Rickenbacker
Cornerstones are the base of support in any structure. However, the structure to which I am referring to here is the structure of your life: your personal life, your business or professional life, and your spiritual life.
Are all your cornerstones in place?
If, indeed, the four cornerstones of character are initiative, imagination, individuality, and independence, as the quote above suggests, each and every one of these qualities and experiences can be integrated into all levels of our lives.
It is interesting to note that the general meaning of cornerstone, as defined in the dictionary, has to do with masonry. Yes, it does represents the nominal starting place in the construction of a monumental building. Yet, at the same time, the word also represents something essential, indispensable, or basic such as “The cornerstone of democracy is a free press.”
The synonyms for the word cornerstone include the words basis, bedrock, bottom, base, foundation, ground, groundwork, keystone, root, underpinning. These words all describe what we are talking about here with regard to making sure that the structure of your life, each area of your life, is on solid ground, has a keystone, a root, an underpinning.
I have all the cornerstones of my life firmly in place and have for a long time, even though they shift now and then but, hey, that’s what life is all about, eh? As I am sure you have discovered in your own life, making sure they all shift together is the key. Oh yeah!
How strong are your cornerstones in your personal legal world? This is a great service to the members of your family. Do you have a will? Do you have springing powers of attorney? Have you made a clear medical directive for yourself? If so, when did you last review them? Do you need to look at them again? Have you considered the many alternatives to conscious dying and shared them with friends and family?
How strong are your cornerstones in your business and professional world? The cornerstones of your business or profession are critical. Do you have contracts or at least a memorandum of understanding with your clients and cohorts and/or independent contractors? Is your website legally compliant with a privacy policy, disclaimers and terms of use? Is your intellectual property properly protected? Have you properly displayed your copyright notice and trademarked items? Have you formed a business entity to personally insulate you from potential liability at some level? All of these are important questions to answer for yourself when you seriously contemplate making sure your cornerstones are in place.
How strong are your cornerstones in your spiritual/evolutionary world? Do you have a belief system that supports your day-to-day living experience? That belief system can include, of course, believing that life has no meaning, and that everything happens just as it does. Or, perhaps you believe that everything happens for a reason That is a belief system that supports lots of folks.
There are belief systems that are based on religious tradition, going to church, mosque, synagogue, tithing, the Bible, the Koran, and the Talmud. And there are belief systems that are based on Evolutionary concepts which generally speak of quantum physics, unity consciousness, peace on earth, planetary regeneration, and the understanding of how important it is to feed our coherence and love into the field.
Contemplating and focusing on our cornerstones provides us with the opportunity to ensure that our personal, professional, and spiritual cornerstones are in place.
This allows us to create a more powerful platform on which we can stand as enlightened leaders, at home, in our community, and/or in the business world.
These vital cornerstones also provide a solid foundation for which to live a more balanced life, including a balanced business, incorporating compassion, forgiveness, gratitude, all spiritual values, and ethical perspectives.
Our cornerstones are the vital and fundamental foundations that support our success and our security. It is important to make sure they are strong and solid so they can support our personal, professional, and spiritual life structures. This creates a more coherent life that will support us in everything we do.
