I am blogging everyday (or nearly everyday) on The Daily Stoic.
Theoretically things should work this way or that. They don’t often do and I have to make the best of situations. This is another stoic that I am comfortable with. I feel like I can adapt and get over what should be done and recognize that what is done is done for a reason.
I am blogging everyday (or nearly everyday) on The Daily Stoic.
Often after making a really good score in golf on a round or hole there’s excitement. The reverse of that is frustration. I’ve found staying even keeled a more effective approach in getting lower scores overall.
I don’t watch the news. Most of it isn’t relevant to me. I also find a lot of it negative and toxic. I try to consume news on what is relevant to me. Most that is in my field.
I’m working longer hours lately. It’s not something I often do. There is a necessity there. My family still comes first though.
I find it interesting that the previous stoic talks about not getting involved in the world’s suffering. Then this blanket stoic on doing what’s not evil or fighting against evil. I think it’s nuanced. If you have an opportunity you then do something.
Virtue is the one thing worth striving for. I have found that attaining goals means I have to create new goals for myself. I can get a bit of analysis paralysis with setting goals. Striving for virtue is something I believe can help replace the endless cycle of personal goal.s
Staying patient with others can require a lot of work. I’ve had certain advantages and expereinces that shape my perspective. Not everyone has that. If they did they still may have a differeing opinion. I’ve learned to forgive myself for screw ups because I am a product of that. There is both good and bad. Right and wrong. I can strive to better understand.
Philosophy is designed to help us live the good life. This is why I practice this journal. To help improve myself. To identify my bad habits and start to work on them.
Joy is internal. It doesn’t necessarily show itself. I’ve had people at work tell me there’s a difference since I’ve studied stoicism. I have others tell me they see me as calm at work. It doesn’t feel like it because I feel I am vocal about things. For some thing I’m willing to say what I’m going to say and then move on. I feel if I do a good job my actions will be highlighted in results.
For me work has always been something that provides for my family. I feel I could have been successful in a lot of different areas.
I’ve had enough experiences in life to know that plans don’t always go the way I want it. This happened when I was visiting South Carolina. Plans were made and most of them didn’t go as expected. It happens.
Speaking of plan falling through. When they did I took them as an opportunity to do something else. Wallowing in self-pity I would have missed out on those opportunities.
I am struggling to identify the opportunity I have right now. I’m alone. There’s opportunity to work on projects and read. Yet I have a strong feeling of disappointment. No one has reached out to me to hang out. It’s not a fun feeling to feel like people have better things to do. I am working to re-frame and take this time as an opportunity to practice patience and stoicism.
Don’t get emotional. Get focused. That is something I’m struggling with now. I have strong emotions right now after a day of work. I just got some awful news from a buddy that is adding on all sorts of other emotions. It’s tough to get focus. I spent yesterday having issues with focus. I was focused on one thing but avoiding emotions all together. Or rather I was avoiding certain emotions.
My wife probably doesn’t feel this way about me. She likes to talk and get the thoughts out of my head into words. It is hard for me to stay silent based on my background and role. As a leader I do try to be the last one to talk. To remain silent until others have said what they need to say.
If I don’t have plans I feel like the time is wasted. I like being around people and doing things. I’m trying to reframe free time by myself as an opportunity. I’m going to a conference soon where I don’t know if I’ll know anyone there. I’m trying to take it as an opportunity to explore out on my own. And hey maybe I run into someone I know.
Wherever I go or whatever I do I can keep my same practicality and principles.
I feel like this is a stoicism about appreciating all the little things. Looking for opportunities and excepting what the world has delivered. Look for those opportunities in scenarios where things don’t go as planned.
Stay with the first impression. When I have people cancel on me or don’t respond to texts or other messages my initial thought is to accept that they probably have something going on. As time continues though other thoughts start invading my mind. They can start to eat at that initial impression.
I’ve never been one for perfection. I will often go with good enough or put things out there with the idea that they can be refined over time.
I am blogging everyday (or nearly everyday) on The Daily Stoic.
Get out of bed is the stoic for today. People depend on me to get out of bed. I get the motivation. Sometimes I need the extra rest to ensure I’m at my best for the day. Working, working, and working can make it so I’m ineffective for the people depending on me.
I don’t have to do the right thing. Often times I do because the opposite of that can turn out worse.
I am blogging everyday (or nearly everyday) on The Daily Stoic.
We are all made for justice. This is one of the less impactful stoics. Maybe that’s because I feel it is inherent. I also think it’s easy to get carried away with justice and have feelings that slide into vengeance.
I am blogging everyday (or nearly everyday) on The Daily Stoic.
Live my life so as not to impose upon others and be open-minded enough and accepting to let others do the same. That seems to be a difficult thing in life because there’s unintentional harm that can be done. I’ve had good intentions before that end up backfiring. It’s still something to strive for and ultimately has led me to a better place. Be a good person and that should help.
Everyone has their own experiences and biases in life. Remember that has helped me not get so frustrated at others. I probably need a little of that now because I am frustrated at work about things going on. I’ve vented and ranted. Really, a better approach may be to recognize that they have other priorities and knowledge that I don’t have. Or they just don’t know. I believe that will help keep me more calm and less frustrated at work.
Another example is from the golf course. If I hit a poor shot I try to remember to forgive myself because it’s a new shot for me. I didn’t know that would be the outcome or there are other things I don’t know that would have made the shot more successful.
