Where to look when you are…anguish
Keep a list before your mind of those who burned with anger and resentment about something, of even the most renowned for success, misforturne, evil deed, or any special distinctions. Then ask yourself, how did that work out? Smoke and dust, the stuff of simple myth trying to be a legend.
—Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 12.27
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Daily Touch of Inspirations
August 27th: Laugh, or cry
Ryan Holiday, The 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
Heraclitus would shed tears whenever he went out in public — Democritus laughed. One saw the whole as a parade of miseries, the other follies. And so, we should take a lighter view of things and bear them with an easy spirit, for it is more human to laugh at life than to lament it. — Seneca, On Tranquility of Mind, 15.2
Daily Touch of Inspirations
February 24th: The real source of harm
Ryan Holiday, The 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
Keep in mind that it isn't the one who has it in for you and takes a swipe that harms you, but rather the harms comes from your own belief about the abuse. So when someone arouses your anger, know that it's really your own opinion fueling it. Instead, make it your first response not to be carried away by such impressions, for with time and distance self mastery is more easily achieved. —Epictetus, Enchiridion, 20
Do Not Forget the Lord
[Deuteronomy 8-10 New International Version (NIV)]
8 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. 2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.
Psalm 56
For the director of music. To the tune of “A Dove on Distant Oaks.” Of David. A miktam. When the Philistines had seized him in Gath.
1 Be merciful to me, my God,
for my enemies are in hot pursuit;
all day long they press their attack.
2 My adversaries pursue me all day long;
in their pride many are attacking me.
3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.
4 In God, whose word I praise—
in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
5 All day long they twist my words;
all their schemes are for my ruin.
6 They conspire, they lurk,
they watch my steps,
hoping to take my life.
7 Because of their wickedness do not let them escape;
in your anger, God, bring the nations down.
8 Record my misery;
list my tears on your scroll—
are they not in your record?
9 Then my enemies will turn back
when I call for help.
By this I will know that God is for me.
10 In God, whose word I praise,
in the Lord, whose word I praise—
11 in God I trust and am not afraid.
What can man do to me?
12 I am under vows to you, my God;
I will present my thank offerings to you.
13 For you have delivered me from death
and my feet from stumbling,
that I may walk before God
in the light of life.
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Daily Touch of Inspirations
May 16th: The Chain Method
Ryan Holiday, The 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
If you don't wish to be a hothead, don't feed your habit. Try as a first step to remain calm and count the days you haven't angry. I used to be angry every day, now every other day, then every third or as 30 days, thank God! For then obliterated. when you can say "I didn't lose my temper today, or the next day, or for three of four months, but kept my cool under provocation,' you will know you are in better health. ~Epictetus, Discourses, 2.18.11b-14
Keep this thought handy when you fee a fit of rage coming on- it isn't manly to be enraged. Rather, gentleness and civility are more human, and therefore manlier. A real man doesn't give way to anger and discontent, and such a person has strength, courage and endurance- unlike the angry and complaining. The nearer a man comes to a calm mind, the close he is to strength.
—Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 11.18.5b
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Ephesians 4:20-32 New International Version (NIV)
20 That, however, is not the way of life you learned 21 when you heard about Christ and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22 You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.