mariposa

Epictetus

The last six weeks or so the car has been sat in the garage waiting for the insurance company to authorize the repairs. They had to do their investigations: would they pay or would I pay was the question...

I decided that the outcome was out of my hands. What would be the worst case scenario? Could I handle it? Yes I could. It's not positivity so to speak, rather a stoic meditation: anticipating the worst possible outcome and visioning myself dealing with it and overcoming it. If the worst comes, I'll be at home, ready. Knock on my door. In the meantime, I decided not to complain about at or even mention it, but rather to perhaps find the opportunity in the situation. I'll discover how to use the public transport in the city. I can read more. Become more resilient. There is always an opportunity in every negative situation but it must be found. It won't tell me what it is.

Phone call yesterday and the result which was out of my hands has come back in my favor. They pay. Just a slow investigation or paper work or something. I'm glad I stayed in abundance mentality. Problems and worry begin in scarcity mentality.

"Some things are under our control, while others are not under our control. Under our control are conception, choice, desire, aversion, and, in a word, everything that is our own doing; not under our control are our body, our property, reputation, office, and, in a word, everything that is not our own doing. Furthermore, the things under our control are by nature free, unhindered, and unimpeded; while the things not under our control are weak, servile, subject to hindrance, and not our own.

Remember, therefore, that if what is naturally slavish you think to be free, and what is not your own to be your own, you will be hampered, will grieve, will be in turmoil, and will blame both gods and men; while if you think only what is your own to be your own, and what is not your own to be, as it really is, not your own, then no one will ever be able to exert compulsion upon you, no one will hinder you, you will blame no one, will find fault with no one, will do absolutely nothing against your will, you will have no personal enemy, no one will harm you, for neither is there any harm that can touch you. " Epictetus

“Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens”

– Epictetus

Epictetus

“The first step: Don’t be anxious. Nature controls it all. And before long you’ll be no one, nowhere—like Hadrian, like Augustus. The second step: Concentrate on what you have to do. Fix your eyes on it. Remind yourself that your task is to be a good human being; remind yourself what nature demands of people. Then do it, without hesitation, and speak the truth as you see it. But with kindness. With humility. Without hypocrisy.” ― Marcus Aurelius

“Does what’s happened keep you from acting with justice, generosity, self-control, sanity, prudence, honesty, humility, straightforwardness, and all other qualities that allow a person’s nature to fulfil itself? So remember this principle when something threatens to cause you pain: the thing itself was no misfortune at all; to endure it and prevail is great good fortune.” — Marcus Aurelius

Epictetus

Ho hum, you are not going to believe what........


.....maybe I should have.........


.....but didn't somebody mention that.......


........she said to me I told you that......




Hogwash. The power is within. The power of choice. The power of decision. The sign of LIFE is the ability to make decisions. A rock is dead but coral is alive. Decisions can either be destructive or constructive. A lack of decision making or lack of belief in one's own choice is the breeding ground for mental illnesses and addictions. A lack of ACTION. A lack of CHOICE. A lack of the ability to make DECISIONS for oneself. Breeding SCARCITY.

One can choose to live in abundance. One can choose. One can choose to make constructive decisions. Life. Abundance. The Kingdom is within. The power of choice.

Addiction is a choice.

The self fulfilling prophecy. Who's frame are you operating in.

If I am a guest in her world then I shall truly be lost if she decides to go.

But, alas, I am not. For she is a guest in my world. That was a choice. Who's frame is she operating in.

The choice of sober October. Complete. The choice always remains. There is an array of choices at my behest. Abstinence? Moderation? Drunkenness? The choices are always there. The latter is not befitting of a Stoic. I shall continue with abstinence as a matter of a rational choice. Just like that.

A rational, constructive choice.

“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”

― Marcus Aurelius , Meditations

"He is a drunkard who takes more than three glasses though he be not drunk."

Epictetus

"Remember that you must behave in life as at a dinner party. Is anything brought around to you? Put out your hand and take your share with moderation. Does it pass by you? Don’t stop it. Is it not yet come? Don’t stretch your desire towards it, but wait till it reaches you. Do this with regard to children, to a wife, to public posts, to riches, and you will eventually be a worthy partner of the feasts of the gods. And if you don’t even take the things which are set before you, but are able even to reject them, then you will not only be a partner at the feasts of the gods, but also of their empire. For, by doing this, Diogenes, Heraclitus and others like them, deservedly became, and were called, divine."

Epictetus

Dee74

Glad for the good news on the car Epictetus

D

Epictetus

Thanks a lot!!

I wasn't expecting it as I had prepared a "prepare for the worst" expectation and a "I'll handle it" mentality to combat those "what if questions" (Thanks FTFADIA).

Literally has elevated a sense of gratitude and I give a little kiss to her each time she cradles me in her front driver seat. Then I remind myself in a Stoic matter-of-fact way, that it's just a hunk of metal that gets me from A to Z. Detach.

Gratitude with detachment. Attachment brings suffering.