Over the past year, I have heard about Stoicism on some of the podcasts I follow and in interviews with some of my favourite authors. This ancient philosophy, shared by these people from different countries and cultural backgrounds, really resonated with me. That’s why I started reading The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselmanand have been writing The Daily Stoic Journal for few months. I’ve never kept a diary before, but The Daily Stoic Journal feels different, Each day, it presents a question to reflect on, making it easy and fun to write. I won’t explain Stoicism here—instead, I’ll share the comic I created while answering the February 22nd question.
February 22nd, Am I certain what I want to say isn’t better left unsaid?
And my answers to this question are literally as follows:
I'm quite aware of this. Things that I want to say, which I know it’s better not to say it, and said it anyway, have become less and less - this seems to be able to turn into a comic!
Frame 1. There are things I want to say...
Frame 2. But it’s better that I don’t say it…
Frame 3. But sometimes, I can’t resist saying them...
Frame 4. has become less and less ...
Here is the comic:
I also want to share some more questions from The Daily Stoic Journal by Ryan Holiday, and my answers to them, and some quotes from the book The Daily Stoic.
January 1st, What things are truly in my control?
My answer: My actions and feelings.
January 7th, How can I keep my mind clear from pollution?
My answer: This is a really good question for today, as it's my first day back at work after travelling and resting for over two weeks. No matter what happens, I should remember my principles, what I seek, and what is beyond my control. Relax and don't overreact by being too vigilant. The faces of bad things are actually clear and easy to see. (My working environment could be toxic sometimes.)
January 12th, Where is the path to serenity?
My answer: Probably choosing the path to serenity is the path to serenity. I have been reading Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami recently, it has a lot to say about how the real world and the world of the mind are like parallel worlds, they can be completely unrelated or merged together. Probably the world we live in is also the result of our choices, and the same world is billions of different worlds for everyone on this planet.
February 5th, Am I thinking before I act?
My answer: I basically think twice before I act, I just sometimes don't act at all after thinking twice. There are a lot of things I could do and want to do that I don't do because I'm not sure how to do it. I need to be a bit more action-oriented rather than thinking twice.
I should think more before I play games or stay up late watching television though.
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“The single most important practice in Stoic philosophy is differentiating between what we can change and what we can’t. What we have influence over and what we do not.”
“Control your perceptions. Direct your actions properly. Willingly accept what’s outside your control.”
“Tranquility and peace are found in identifying our path and in sticking to it: staying the course—making adjustments here and there, naturally—but ignoring the distracting sirens who beckon us to turn toward the rocks.”
-The Daily Stoic, by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman
