This may end up being a long post, it’s a dump of things that I’ve been thinking about for some time and finally have been able to work on and putting it down on “paper”.
In a day of social media and constant update beeps, tweets, snaps, and toks, I feel that it’s harder than ever to sit down and just think. Thinking as an art form has been sinking way down the priority pole and has been taken over by everything else that commands our attention in our busy schedules. Be it work or family duties, or just laziness and easy access to things that are mindless, I believe that we could all become a little better if we just sat down for a few minutes per day to be thoughtful and develop a little extra discipline.
From self esteem to memory to a distorted sense of reality, social media has the potential to interfere with our ability to focus in a number of ways:
- Constant notifications: These notifications can be distracting, especially when they come in large numbers, and can make it difficult to focus on the task at hand.
- Endless scrolling: This can make it difficult to focus on a specific task or to disengage from the platform when you need to.
- Fear of missing out (FOMO): This can lead to feelings of anxiety and can make it difficult to focus on the present moment.
- Comparison: Can lead to feelings of inadequacy and can make it difficult to focus on one’s own life and goals.
- Addiction: Studies has shown that social media can be addictive, and that overuse can lead to problems with focus and attention. Once we get used to the instant gratification, it can be hard to focus on other things.
So, what can we do about all this? I suggest something super simple. Turn off your phone, leave it at home, and go for a walk outside. Take time to purposefully be without any distractions for a few minutes. Thinking is a good thing, and being away from notifications and the constant feed of distractions, being data-free for a while can help you develop a little extra discipline and self control.
Which leads me to talk about Stoicism. You’ve probably heard the word “Stoic” before and you probably think about a stone statue, enduring and emotionless. That’s a common misconception!
Stoicism is a philosophy that originated in ancient Greece and was popularized in ancient Rome. It emphasizes the development of self-control and resilience through the practice of virtue (living in accordance with “Nature and Reason”), rationality, and acceptance of the present moment. When people here about self-control, they think about the stone-faced individual who has no emotion. However, controlling your emotions is key to achieving your goals in life.
The Stoics believed that the universe is rational and governed by natural laws, and that human beings have the ability to reason and understand these laws. They believed that by using reason and logic, we can understand the nature of the universe and our place in it, and that this understanding can help us to live a virtuous and fulfilling life.
The Stoics believed that the key to living a good life is to focus on what is within our control and to accept what is not. They believed that we should not waste our time and energy worrying about things that are beyond our control, such as the past or the future, but rather we should focus on living in the present moment and doing our best with what we have.
They believed that by cultivating virtues such as wisdom, courage, justice, and self-control, we can become better people and live a more fulfilling life.
Marcus Aurelius, who was a Roman Emperor and a Stoic philosopher, wrote extensively about discipline in his personal writings, known as the Meditations. He believed that discipline was necessary for living a virtuous and fulfilling life.
In his Meditations, Marcus Aurelius wrote about the importance of developing self-discipline, particularly in terms of controlling one’s thoughts and emotions. He believed that it was essential to be able to control our reactions to events and to not let our emotions control us. He wrote: “The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.” He is emphasizing on how to control our emotions and how to react to negative things in a positive way.
Marcus Aurelius also wrote about the importance of discipline in terms of daily habits and routines. He believed that by developing good habits, we can ensure that we are always working towards our goals and that we are making the most of our time. He wrote: “When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”
He also believed that discipline is necessary to be able to focus on the present moment and to let go of the past and the future. He wrote: “The present is the only thing of which a man can be deprived, for the past has been and the future is not yet.”
Seneca, a Roman philosopher, statesman, and playwright, who was a contemporary of Marcus Aurelius and also a Stoic, also had a lot to say about discipline in his philosophical works. Like Marcus Aurelius, he believed that discipline was essential for living a virtuous and fulfilling life.
In his letters and essays, Seneca emphasized the importance of self-discipline and self-control. He believed that by training ourselves to control our thoughts and emotions, we can overcome negative impulses and distractions and instead focus on what is truly important. He wrote: “The mind that is anxious about future events is miserable.” He believed that one should focus on the present and not worry about the future.
Seneca also wrote about the importance of discipline in terms of daily habits and routines. He believed that by developing good habits, we can ensure that we are always working towards our goals and that we are making the most of our time. He wrote: “It is not that we have so little time but that we lose so much. … The life we receive is not short but we make it so; we are not ill provided but use what we have wastefully.”
He also wrote about the importance of discipline in terms of facing adversity and hardship. He believed that by training ourselves to accept whatever happens and to respond to it with mental calmness, we can develop the inner strength to face any challenge. He wrote: “The greatest obstacle to living is expectancy, which hangs upon tomorrow and loses today. You are arranging what lies in Fortune’s control, and abandoning what lies in yours. What are you looking at? To what goal are you straining? The whole future lies in uncertainty: live immediately.”
I’ve rambled on for some time now and feel better getting this off my chest.
I’m going to turn off my phone and go for a walk. Will you join me?