Peace Is In Staying The Course

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

The stoic talks about being in a state of tranquility. That’s defined as being on my path and sticking to it. Not wandering from it. I feel like that can be routine. What I struggled with last year was coming to the end of one path and not knowing where to go from there. Being a questioner I can succumb more easily to analysis paralysis. Which is not being able to make a decision because I’m trying to weigh the pros and cons. When the pros and cons are even it can feel difficult to choose the best option. Instead of choosing I don’t go anywhere. I feel like I’m coming out of that a bit.

Cut The Strings That Pull Your Mind

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

There’s a lot to sift through in life. Social media, video games, the news, drugs, alcohol, and on and on. This can make my life miserable if I allow it. I’ve cut out most of those. Video games and alcohol are something that I do enjoy and try to moderate. Social media is something that started to give me headaches. Now I use it simply as a tool to stay in touch. I’m not endlessly scrolling for new content. I feel there’s plenty of content in my life outside of social media. Enjoying a moment with the family or friends. If I take a video or picture every time I find something interesting in life, I feel it loses a little bit of that putting it on social media for the likes or retweets. Instead I try to live in the moment and enjoy it.

I think this is where simplicity plays a role. Minimalism too. I’ve studied minimalism and I like it. There’s enough going on in the world that I can’t experience or know it all. I take comfort in the small things. The stoic doesn’t say we have to fight these strings. Just to be mindful of them. Put stocks in the strings that bring balance.

Circle Of Control

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

I only control my mind. That was a huge revelation for me last year and helped me in so many ways. I stopped wasting energy on things outside of my control and focused on making better decisions and choices. Today I still can struggle with it. This past week I did not sleep well. A lot of it was choices. It’s also the realization that I can’t control my body. I can’t sleep like I used to when I was younger. I may have even overslept. Wasting energy on worrying about enough sleep is pointless.

The One Path To Serenity

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

Reminding myself that this or that thing is out of my control has helped me reduce my anxiety and worry. I tell myself that worrying or stressing over this or that only wastes my energy. I have to constantly do it because the worry and stress can keep me up at night or distract me. I must take the good with the bad.

If You Want To Be Unsteady

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

It’s easy to use stoicism as a way to avoid things in my life. I can choose to ignore things in my life. They’re still there. I’ve often felt this when I ignore certain things I need to handle. They’re always there waiting. Sometimes eating at me. I use stoicism to deal with them when needed. I’ve started setting boundaries for them because they can keep me up at night. They can waste precious mental energy throughout the day in worry. I’ve started to learn to identify when I’m wasting energy. They will be dealt with at the proper time and place. The key is that they will be dealt with and not left to fester and create toxicity in my life.