Welcome to Stoic Snippets,
Quick wisdom that's long-lasting.
Before we get started today,
Just a big shout out to Doyle Banks.
Thanks so much for your support man,
Appreciate you.
In one of my favorite movies ever,
A prisoner called Brooks is let out after spending most of his life in jail.
He writes back to his friends who are still inside exclaiming,
The world got itself into a big damn hurry.
Keen cinephiles will know what movie I'm talking about,
It's a real famous one.
Now I feel what this character is talking about every day.
I look around and it definitely feels as if we're living in breakneck speed times.
We often blame technology for this,
But I found this letter from Seneca which suggests rushing around is more related to our internal environment than our external one.
Seneca writes,
You do not tear from place to place and unsettle yourself with one move after another.
Restlessness of that sort is symptomatic of a sick mind.
Nothing to my way of thinking is better proof of a well ordered mind than a man's ability to stop just where he is and pass some time in his own company.
Now how many of us do things just to avoid being with ourselves?
As if we're only worthy if we're achieving something,
So we go from thing to thing to thing.
Guilty,
Right here.
Or maybe we're just scared of being with our own thoughts and being busy affords us the great excuse of not having to deal with those thoughts.
Again,
Guilty.
Like a messy room,
We just keep ignoring it and hoping it'll go away.
And all of this busyness,
How much of it is actually moving us towards where we want to be?
How many of us even know where we want to be?
How much of this moving around is simply just moving?
Again,
Like an untidy room.
You know where you move things off the bed onto the floor and then from the floor onto the cabinet and then from the cabinet and you stuff it away into a drawer.
You definitely move things but all you do is move them from one location to another.
You didn't deal with the real problem.
Seneca has something to say about this.
Delight in bustling about is not industry.
To be everywhere is to be nowhere.
A lovely bit of writing there,
Showing us that just because we're busy doesn't mean we're doing things that are worthwhile and just because we're in many places doesn't mean we're getting anywhere.
So what's the solution?
Well,
You might be surprised to hear it's to stop.
Be purposeful with your actions,
Not superfluous.
Have moments of silence with yourself,
Whether it's in meditation or just being in the quiet.
Brave your own boredom.
Don't reach for your phone every time you feel that inkling of a little bit of boredom or thinking.
Allow your brain moments to absorb what is around it.
Properly consider things that are going on in your life.
Think before you act.
Take breaks throughout the day to consider what tasks are essential and focus on those.
If you're not too sure what those things are or what to focus on,
Again Seneca with some pretty good advice here.
Each day acquire something that will fortify you against poverty,
Against death,
Indeed against other misfortunes as well.
Then at the end of the day Seneca suggests we do this.
After running over a lot of different thoughts,
Pick out one to be digested thoroughly that day.
Now I know I've given you a lot to think about but take that advice and take one thing to digest.
Enjoy your day and if you like this go check out my course on Stoicism.
There's plenty to digest there.
