Once Is Enough, Once Is Forever

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

I don’t know what to do with today’s stoic. It talks about being on anti-depressant pills. Someone tried them once to feel how they would feel and then never take them again. That’s great for that person. They can identify where they need to be. Unfortunately, that’s a market of drugs that I feel is similar to alcohol. It’s something to make us feel unlike what we’re feeling.

I took up stoicism to avoid those types of drugs. To really gain more control over the drugs I am using to numb the pain, alcohol. It’s hard. I can understand why people become addicted to alcohol or other drugs. Anti-depressants can seem like a savior. Ultimately, they’re just another drug from a company that is probably make millions if not billions. I’d prefer to figure it out with stoicism, meditation, and Buddhism.

Daily Stoic(s)

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

Sunday - Four Habits Of The Stoic Mind

The four habits are:

• Accept only what is true

• Work for the common good

• Match our needs and wants to what’s in our control

• Embrace nature and what it has in store for us

The last one is interesting for me. I was born with eyes that would start going bad around the third grade. I’ve thought about eye surgery to “fix” it. Only I get a sense it was something meant for me and to change that would change a part of my soul.

Yesterday - Maxims From Three Wise Men

Acceptance of a higher power or deity or even the laws of the universe. I used to say a prayer at night before going to bed. It ended with, “Your will be done.” It reminded me that I had no control over events from happening. I don’t say is as part of prayers. I do accept that concept as I make my way through life. Things will happen that I like or don’t like. Each thing is an opportunity to learn something.

Today - Behold , Now As Ever

History tends to repeat itself. For all the documentation we have we still do the same thing over and over again. There’s technological progress. Life in general is a cycle. Millennials today were the greatest generation of the past. The older generation complained about them. Didn’t understand them. The millenials will go through the same cycle complaining about the younger generation in due time.

Daily Stoic(s)

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

Yesterday - Hope And Fear Are The Same

This stoic breaks down into want (hope) and worry (fear). In golf there’s hoping you have a good shot and there’s fear of having a bad shot. One of the things I’m working on is letting both of those thoughts interfere because they only seem to get in the way. I have to clear my mind and take results as they are because golf can be unforgiving and forgiving. I hit a shot into a bunker and then make a great shot out of the bunker. It’s a give and take. Hope and fear only attempt to hold me back.

Today - Judge Not, Lest…

As I go down this past of stoicism, I can see people who struggle with things I used to. This can feel good to have it figured out. I don’t really bring it up with those people because telling people what they should do is not something received all that well. Instead if they ask I will tell them otherwise it’s on them to want to improve.

Daily Stoic(s)

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

Yesterday - You Choose The Outcome

Events in life are objective. How we choose to respond is what the outcome will be. It’s election week and I see a lot of emotion flying around. Those are all outcomes the person has made. It’s not a politician or the other party it’s their decision to be in that emotional state. I have decided to remove myself from that emotion. Whoever wins wins and there’s nothing really changing that. It’s a waste of energy to bicker and let loose emotions.

Today - Everything Is Change

To the point of the election comment above, everything is change. A candidate getting elected will only be in office for 4-8 years. This means bad presidents get out sooner at the four year mark and good presidents stay in longer. I’m sure many would argue that this or that president deserved longer or shorter terms. That misses the point that at some point the president must leave. Not so much in the congress or senate where terms can be a bit more lenient. Still even there eventually they will be out of the position.

Daily Stoic(s)

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

Yesterday - The Strong Accept Responsibility

I control two things. My thoughts and choices. When something happens in my life that has a negative impact, I often think about how I could have been better. It’s a gut check and hard to do. Doing it makes me a better person because I can only control so much.

Today - Never Complain, Never Explain

When I’m late or need to apologize for something I try not to qualify it with a reason. To me that defeats the purpose of an apology. If there’s a caveat is it a true apology. If I’m late I apologize for it because I ultimately made a choice to be late. From the above stoic what could I have done to get out of this situation or that. Sometimes we are just late. It happens. Other times I’m late because we made poor decisions or decisions for the right reasons and I’m still late.

Complaining is something I’m working on. I’m doing it for people. I try not to complain about people. I still do and it’s a tough habit to break. I’m trying more and more to give people the benefit of the doubt. Complaining is a waste of energy.