Things I've Learned
Ever since someone put Philosophy: Who Needs It in front of me. I could not help but take the call at the end of Ayn Rand's speech to those West Point graduates and started looking at philosophy with a higher level of granularity. Say what you will about Rand, but one has to agree that as a human, you're influenced by philosophy, whether you realize it or not. I chose the Stoics as my path of learning, since it aligns with my values, personality and my own nature.
The main thing I've learned is: that things, situations, or problems are truly out of your control, and simply taking an extra breath, an extra read of a text message or an email, or an extra second to parse those things that are out of your control is precisely when you get yourself, not the situation or the other person back in control.
This was a profound discovery!!! Because at first, it appears as if I have just controlled the situation, and it gives you a false sense of power. In reality, I've just taken control of how I reacted, perceived, or parsed the situation. It is apropos to the meaning behind the following quote:
"He who has control over himself, has control over the world. Our problems
are not in our hands, but they are in our control."
Seneca
This self-realization came after conducting one of the biggest tenets of the Stoics, and philosophers as well: reflection.
Early on in this path, I began to journal sporadically, and then I began to journal every single day! This forced me to stop and have very tough, profound, happy and sad conversations with myself. What I've realized is that this act of reflection is universal.
Religionists pray, others meditate, and philosophers ponder, but these are all elements of the same vector.
Happy hacking!