Where to look when… you are not in control
Daily Touch of Inspirations
May 26th: Stop caring what people think
Ryan Holiday, The 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
I'm constantly amazed by how easily we love ourselves above all others, yet we put more stock in the opinions of others than in our own estimation of self... How much credence we give to the opinions our peers have of us and how little to our very own! ~ Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 12.4
Daily Touch of Inspirations
May 12th: Kindness is always the right response
Ryan Holiday, The 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
Kindness is invincible, but only when it's sincere, with no hypocrisy or faking. For what can even the most malicious person do if you keep showing kindness and, if given the chance, you gently point out where they went wrong- right as they are trying to harm you? ~Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 11.18.5.9a
Daily Touch of Inspirations
August 6th: There is always more room to maneuver than you think
Ryan Holiday, The 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
Apply yourself to thinking through difficulties — hard times can be softened, tight squeezes widened, and heavy loads made lighter for those who can apply the right pressure. — Seneca, On Tranquility of Mind, 10.4b
Daily Touch of Inspirations
September 17th: Dealing with haters
Ryan Holiday, The 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living
What if someone despises me? Let them see to it. But I will see to it that I won't be found doing or saying anything contemptible. What if someone hates me? Let them see to that. But I will see to it that I'm kind and good-natured to all, and prepared to show even the hater where they went wrong. Not in a critical way, or to show off my patience, but genuinely and usefully. — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 11.13
The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil?
Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own...
— Epictetus, Discourses, 2.5.4– 5 —
Daily touch of inspirations
January 8th: Seeing our Addictions
Ryan Holiday, The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom Perseverance and Art of Living
We must give up many things to which we are addicted, considering them to be good. Otherwise, courage will vanish, which should continually test itself. Greatness of soul will be lost, which can't stand out unless it disdains as petty what the mob regards as most desirable. — Seneca, Moral Letters, 74:12b-13