As we navigate the world we see today, we see the world going to hell in a handbasket right before our eyes. The enemy is hiding in plain sight it seems, and the world is too blind to notice. Knowing what to look for is important, but keeping a calm mind, while we listen, think and observe can help us to keep cool head, so we aren’t found on the side of the road, arguing with drunk, homeless people.
First and Foremost….
We need to realize we don’t know everything. Those who think they know everything, seldom learn anything. Those who cannot hear others’ words will not be successful. Unless they are in isolation or going ghost to better themselves, people who care too much about others lack the self-discipline to actually focus on what is necessary. One of the main principles of stoicism is accepting the natural order of things and what we cannot control. We must focus on what we can control which is our reactions to what we cannot control. The best way to have peace is knowing God is in control. Realizing we do not have control over others, only how we react to them, and that God will judge them is all we really need to get through the day.
Epictetus says, “Keep in mind that it isn’t the one who has it in for you and takes a swipe and harms you, but rather the harm comes from your own belief about the abuse. So when someone arouses your anger, know its really your own opinion fueling it. Instead, make it your first impression not to be carried away by such impressions, for with time and distance, self-mastery is more easily achieved. ”
We choose to let things bother us, and we can choose not to react. We give problems more power that they are actually worth.
“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”~ Marcus Aurelius
