When you do the right thing, it is a choice. It is only noble if it is performed based on your own volition. Each time you do the right thing because you want to, then you are building character.
Namaste
Month: January 2020
The danger in assumptions
We so quickly make assumptions about people or situations. What if our assumptions could be viewed with a positive lens? Wouldn’t our lives be much easier. Stop assuming someone did something to hurt you, change your assumptions and change your life.
Namaste
Characteristic of a great person
We sometimes envy the apparent luck and easy life of others, and often they have been blessed in ways that had nothing to do with effort. However your greatness is not how easily you achieved success or the luck of life. True greatness comes from the obstacles you have overcome.
Namaste
Peace of mind
We all know when we are doing the right thing. Those little indiscretions all take us further away from our purpose and erode our peace of mind. It is so easy to get caught up in doing what brings us pleasure, or what is easy. The stoics believed that peace of mind is achieved by doing the right thing, not wandering through life pursuing only its pleasures.
The Buddha called it Right Action or Right Mindfulness.
Namaste
Do away with being harmed
So often we carry around this idea that we have been harmed by what someone said, while most of the time it is our perception of what was said. If you let yourself be blown off course by all the things you hear and then take offense, then you are forever reacting, forever harmed.
If you cease to perceive what is said as a personal attack, you will cease to be harmed. There is no peace or happiness reacting to all the shit that happens. Cast away the worry and anger. You are only harmed if you let yourself be.
Namaste
The unrestricted person
We like to think we are free and in some ways that is true, but so much of our lives we trade away for money or status. We dress a certain way, we do things we don’t like to do, and work in jobs that may pay well, but rob us of freedom. The question is how much freedom in your life has been traded for things?
If this wealth or these things imprison you, are you really free?
Namaste
Observe your own mind
I read this quote in the book Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and thought I would share it. If you can reserve judgment in effect not trying understand what is in another’s mind you will be much happier. When you fail to observe your own thoughts you will most likely be unhappy.
Put another way, is living a life without introspection will surely lead to negative consequences. Being oblivious to your thoughts leads to bad behavior, poor decisions, and repeated failures.
Namaste
The proper work of the mind
Epictetus outlines the proper functioning of the mind with this quote:
- Choice – making good choices in thoughts and actions
- Refusal – to steer yourself away from temptation
- Yearning – to be a better person
- Repulsion – of things that are untrue
- Preparation – be prepared for what lies ahead
- Purpose – following your guiding principles
- Assent – understand what you can control and accept what is outside of your control.
Namaste
Harmed by fear
Sometimes it is the fear itself that becomes the greatest danger. Don’t let your fear of something allow you to fuck it up. Many have destroyed a good thing and suffered many sleepless nights due to fear, and that very fear led to their downfall.
Namaste
First have a target
Put some thought into what you want to be. Sometimes we just wander through this life and are unhappy with the results. Had we taken the time to carefully consider where we are going it would certainly impact our lives in a more positive fashion.
While you might not be able to determine exactly who you want to become at all times, you should at least have a general direction or target in mind. Of course it does no good to have a target without acting upon it.
Namaste