Glibertarians | Daily Stoic week 49

The Daily Stoic

The Practicing Stoic

Meditations

How to Be a Stoic

If you have anger issues, this one is a great tool (h/t mindyourbusiness)

What I’m currently reading:

How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius: Robertson, Donald J.: 9781250196620: Amazon.com: Books

Disclaimer: I’m not your Supervisor. These are my opinions after reading through these books a few times.

 

December 10

“I say, let no one rob me of a single day who isn’t going to make a full return on the loss.”
—SENECA, ON TRANQUILITY OF MIND, 1.11b

If I spend my money, I try to get my money’s worth out of the transaction. I am not as careful when it comes to spending time. Maybe it’s because I have a monetary budget and limits on what goes to different expenses. When it comes to time, I don’t have a set limit. I know I am closer to the end; it still feels like that is a long time off. Sometimes I think how fast my 28 years of marriage have gone and realize the next 28 will go even faster.

 

December 11

“As Cicero says, we hate gladiators if they are quick to save their lives by any means; we favor them if they show contempt for their lives.”
—SENECA, ON TRANQUILITY OF MIND, 11.4b

I haven’t faced death directly, but I have been in situations where dying was a real possibility. In these situations, I learned that death holds no great fear for me. Not that I am reckless, but I understand that life is fleeting and I am OK with that fact. I was able to keep my voice at a normal pitch when I had to call in the fact my squad had been ambushed or once when my vehicle got hit by an IED. In my fitness report from my combat deployment, my Lieutenant described me as “unflappable in a firefight”.

 

December 12

“Walk the long gallery of the past, of empires and kingdoms succeeding each other without number. And you can also see the future, for surely it will be exactly the same, unable to deviate from the present rhythm. It’s all one whether we’ve experienced forty years or an eon. What more is there to see?”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 7.49

Life follows patterns that seem to repeat. By being aware of the past I see things unfolding that lead to predictable results, yet many people I know act surprised by this. I can live my life the best I can, but the world will go in its own direction. I need to accept this fact and use my knowledge to my advantage.

 

December 13

“You aren’t bothered, are you, because you weigh a certain amount and not twice as much? So why get worked up that you’ve been given a certain lifespan and not more? Just as you are satisfied with your normal weight, so you should be with the time you’ve been given.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 6.49

I need to be satisfied with how things are and not get worried about how I wish they were. I also need to understand that my remaining time is not decided by me. I think if I found out that I had a terminal illness, I could accept that. I would try to concentrate on the fact that I have a good relationship with my wife, and we have had a long time together. Getting upset would not increase my remaining days and would also decrease my quality of life for that time. As I type this, I am reminded of the fact that I do have a terminal illness, the same one all people have. My life will end one day, and I do not know when that will be.

 

December 14

“Soon you will die, and still you aren’t sincere, undisturbed, or free from suspicion that external things can harm you, nor are you gracious to all, knowing that wisdom and acting justly are one and the same.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 4.37

Soon I will die, this is relatively true. I try to be all the things listed, but sometimes fall short. I am definitely not good at being gracious, I expect other people to be better than they are sometimes. I also still battle anger, especially when dealing with my mom. Her memories of our lives are so rose colored and laughably false, but I need to accept that and not argue over things that happened 30 years ago.

 

December 15

“This is the mark of perfection of character—to spend each day as if it were your last, without frenzy, laziness, or any pretending.”

I try to live without drama or pretending. I am still lazier than I should be. Reading this, I know I will probably never have perfect character, but it does give me a goal to aspire to. I will always practice being a Stoic, and just like practicing for a competition, I learn from practice and make mistakes while practicing.

 

December 16

“I tell you, you only have to learn to live like the healthy person does . . . living with complete confidence. What confidence? The only one worth holding, in what is trustworthy, unhindered, and can’t be taken away—your own reasoned choice.”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 3.26.23b–24

I know the difference between what I control and what I don’t. I understand that the things outside of my control. Even knowing this, I am currently getting annoyed because lately I get severe heartburn when I’m hungry. The dumbest part is that all I have to do is eat something and it goes away. Still a work in progress on many fronts.

 

Music this week is from Savatage, They don’t have a lot of great songs, but I really like these three.

(27) Sirens – YouTube

(27) Holocaust – YouTube

(27) Savatage – Hall Of The Mountain King (Official Music Video) [HD] – YouTube