This is not a book to read and put down after so many pages, but more of an exercise or workbook.
~ Authors Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
~ Meditations from Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius
~ 413 pages
~ Publish Date: October 18, 2016
~ ASIN: B01HNJIJB2
~ Text-to-Speech: Enabled
Each chapter is made of short pithy sentences or meditations from Stoic philosophers and then there are a few paragraphs that go into broader ideas.
For me, it works best to read a chapter in the morning, think or meditate on it. See how it works for me during the day and then write a little on how it pertains to my day and how small changes to my daily routine can change my life. If you have a different process or idea please share below.
Each chapter has the day’s date and the book recommends you to start on today’s chapter so if it’s June 25 then start on that chapter. I chose to start with the section on Clarity because, well I want to enhance clarity. There are a lot of meditations that deal with actions and will power, you decide.
These chapter comments are my paraphrasing.
January 1st ~ Control & Choice
The Stoic quote reminds me of something out of A Guide to the Bodhisattva Way of Life, “Why waste time on something you can not change. If there is something you can change don’t waste your time. Just do it.” (My paraphrasing).
January 3rd ~ Be Ruthless to the Things That Don’t Matter by Seneca
This chapter pertains to not wasting time. Not only does this pertain to things external but also internal. How much time do we waste on emotions and desires that at the end of the day get us nowhere? Emotions are part of our fabric, but they do not have to control us.
Some Of My Thoughts
Don’t waste time on what will not matter. How much time have I spent on self pity, grief and mindless TV? How will that make a difference tomorrow?
Life is too short and my future is all I have in front of me. There is too much to do in this short life, why should I base it on emotions or thoughts of mine or others?
Healthy actions are built on healthy thoughts. Why waste time thinking of the past or future?
If we take a good long look at future actions will they be of benefit to others or our selves?
January 4th ~ The Big Three
Or Stoic’s Trinity
The certainty of judgment in the present moment
Focus your actions to help others
Have a gracious attitude for anything that comes your way.
The introduction explains the best way to use the book is in a stoic context of meditating on the subject in the morning follow your actions during the day and contemplating or writing about them at night.
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