I've joked that I'm an "armchair Taoist". While I don't talk a lot about religion (I'm still grappling with it), I think that Taoism comes closest to expressing my beliefs. Also, it's core text is a marriage of poetry and art. It's hard not to be attracted to that. Growing up a Lutheran, it was easy to find comfort in the ten commandments. Easy, plain rules that summed up religion. But what I liked about them as a kid, I grew up to have troubles with. A lot of "thou shalt not"s and all that. Instead of being told what not to do, I found that Taoism offered seven lines of advice on how to live your life – seven things to do.

居善地，心善淵，與善仁，言善信，正善治，事善能，動善時

In my favorite translation (that lives next to my bed), these come off just as simply in English.

Live in a good place. Keep your mind deep. Treat others well. Stand by your word. Make fair rules. Do the right thing. Work when it's time.

I've used these at marketing agencies and various jobs to describe my aesthetic and approach. There will probably never be a time when I don't identify with these lines. I'm posting this today (New Year's Eve) in lieu of any resolutions. Instead of new goals, I'm reminding myself of these overarching themes in my life.

Sidenote: I've been thinking about getting a tattoo for awhile. This is the winner. Kind of bulky in English, so yes. I will be that d-bag with a Chinese tattoo.

Kind of hard to put that much Chinese together, though. Still searching for a good way to make this minimalist. Any ideas? You can reach me via the Contact button at the top.