Author’s blog and the bookstore of Sturm Enrich. Challenging stereotypes about life, health, relationships, happiness, and religion.

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” Socrates

In the words of Sturm Enrich:

“Life isn’t permanent. It’s more of a loan than a gift. If you really think about it, the purpose of a lending institution is to benefit many for a limited time (not just one person forever) and to generate profit by charging interest.

If that’s the case, let’s look at life as you would at a personal loan. You’ve been granted the right to use it for a specific period of time and then give it back with interest. (Wouldn’t it be nice if we could repay the loan of life at our own schedule instead of having it seized by one sort of collection agency or another?….)

When we’re born, we receive two loans: equipment with a finite expiration date, and the obligation to contribute. As responsible users/borrowers, we have two duties: to make our time count, and to repay the loan with interest.”

What are the main concerns in life?

• health

• relationships

• success

• happiness

• contribution/relevance

Health

Health and time are your most precious possessions. (You are free to pursue your goals only as long as you are fully functional and have enough time to achieve them.)
In support of health and time, Sturm Enrich has written “Green Self Help” and “Green Anti-Aging”. As the titles suggest, both books are focused on a natural approach to health and wellness, which, in many cases, is safer and more effective than establishment medicine’s. Neither book provides “miracle cures” for terminal diseases. They do, however, offer plenty of info on maintaining good health, disease prevention, and treatment of common diseases and health complaints. (What made Sturm Enrich uniquely qualified to write these books? She survived a life-threatening health crisis in a hospital but recovered solely thanks to her own healing skills! Out of necessity, she became an expert on healing with nutrients and healthy living. Personal experience taught her to be skeptical of some aspects of modern medicine; to be specific: the aspects that prioritize the almighty Mammon over the Hippocratic oath.)

Relationships

Relationships matter. They are lifelines. They contribute to success. They are the source of love and joy. (Sturm Enrich is working on a relationship book and course.)

***

As for the next three concerns, they have one common denominator. As much as definitions of health, time, and relationships are universal, the definitions of success, happiness, and relevance are highly subjective.

Success

The common definition of success is achieving a certain level of education, income, and respect.
YOU get to define success for yourself. I urge you to create your own version and check on it regularly to make sure you’re on the right track and moving forward.

Happiness

The common definition of happiness includes marriage, family, a fulfilling career, owning status symbols, and having enough funds to pay for fun.
YOU get to define happiness for yourself: there are countless valid alternatives. (Sturm Enrich is working on a happiness book and course.)

Contribution / Relevance

The common definition of relevance (or legacy, or contribution) is quite wide and may include children, fame, or wealth.
The uncommon one is this: if life is a sort of personal loan, the impact of your relevance and/or legacy is the interest on the loan. Do not default on the interest! Don’t scatter your unique gifts, share and pass them on!
YOU get to define why you matter and what your legacy will be. Of course, children could be your main achievement, but it could also be your unique contribution, talent, or body of work. Sometimes, our uniqueness makes a greater impact than our descendants.

***

In the process of living, surviving, and succeeding, we have to contend with numerous obstacles, including self-doubt, competition, and the established order of the world. We all experience some failures and losses along the way. These failures serve a purpose. (Positive experiences are comforting. Negative experiences force us to grow.) To help people deal with negative experiences and feelings, Sturm Enrich has written “Personal Crisis Solutions”. It’s a self-empowerment reference book for times of crisis.)

To find meaning in life, your place in the world, and a sense of relevance, some guts, self-esteem, skepticism, and common sense come in handy. More than that, a sound worldview and value system are invaluable guides. To this end, Sturm Enrich has written – and created – “Holistic Religion”. It is a religion without God, centered on human – including environmental – interests, and the practice of ethics.

Life isn’t simple. It takes mastery to navigate what is while steering toward what could be.

YOU had to take your first breath by yourself. YOU will have the experience of taking your last breath, alone. Neither can be shared. YOU own YOUR life. YOU and only YOU have the right – and responsibility – to create your life. YOU have the power to overcome and earn success and happiness.

There is nothing that YOU can’t handle. There is nothing YOU cannot achieve. Problems come and go. People are, in a larger scheme of things, passersby. Memories of good and bad experiences fade. YOU are your only constant. YOU are your forever. YOU are your world.

Your selfhood is the source of your power. TAKE GOOD CARE OF YOUR SELFHOOD! LISTEN TO YOUR INNER VOICE. ACT ON IT. CLAIM YOUR LIFE. MANAGE ITS COURSE. THRIVE!

Stick with Sturm Enrich, her books, blog, and podcasts. They are here to empower YOU.

(Incidentally, Sturm Enrich’s books are available EXCLUSIVELY at SturmEnrich.com. You won’t find them on Amazon…)