A Mantra of Mutual Interdependence

I am blogging everyday (or nearly everyday) on The Daily Stoic.

Everything is interconnected. I’ve often thought about this with key moments in my life. How would I or even the world be different if I had done this instead of that. Overall the world might be the same. It also might be different. A different choice I made puts me in different situations. This has a potential ripple effect on the world because me being in one scenario interacting with someone changes if I’m not there.

I think about this at work too. I have my world of work and influence. I often don’t see other parts of a 6000 person company. This was highlighted just today when as I watched a presentation by our companies president on what services and products we offer. How COVID has changed our company and what we expect going forward.

The Most Valuable Asset

I am blogging everyday (or nearly everyday) on The Daily Stoic.

Working on myself is the most important asset. Next comes relationships. Then wealth and things like money. I’ve spent a lot of times on relationships. I’m actually pretty decent at building relationships with people. I’ve become ever better at it over the last several years. What I’ve realized over the last year or two is that I really need to work on myself. It’s my most important asset. I believe it comes back to making choices. Choosing to react how I want instead of how external factors want me or push me towards. The choice ultimately falls on me. That takes time and practice. I’d like to think in my time of demise I will accept it calmly and with dignity.

Let Virtue Shine Bright

I am blogging everyday (or nearly everyday) on The Daily Stoic.

Virtue can be restored at any point. This seems to be what the stoic for today gets at. We have the opportunity to let our virtue shine even if we’re suddenly coming from a place of darkness. It’s comforting to know that at any point if we’re not being virtuous we can turn that around.

You Can't Touch Me

I am blogging everyday (or nearly everyday) on The Daily Stoic.

Our own thoughts determine how we are impacted. I played a round of golf today. I’m finding that when I play with people I haven’t played before I get nervous. This nervous energy tends to make me hit bad shots early in the round.As I get more comfortable I start doing much better. That’s on me. It’s not on the people I’m playing with (who are usually really cool). It’s on me. I have to learn to get over that. The people I was playing with were very much impressed with the last eight holes where I really started to do well. We started discussing the mental side of it. It’s a big part of golf. I hit a really good shot to get on the green on the 18th to try and save par. Part of how I did that was focusing in on what I had to do. I missed the par putt because I allowed the green to impact how I was going to putt the hole and I left the par putt short. You never want to leave those short.

Your Actual Needs Are Small

I am blogging everyday (or nearly everyday) on The Daily Stoic.

This covers some of the previous stoic. When struggling the little things meant more. Now that I’m successfully the mean less. I feel I have a good grasp on needing more or the lack thereof. I’m happy with what we have as a family. Sure there are purchases I would like to make. I’ve learned that the timing maybe isn’t just right and to hold my ambition for another time.

I do feel like I was stronger in the past. I was juggling starting a family and working and going to school all at once. I felt like I handled that better than I do now. I wonder if I had to do it again if I could be just as successful.