The Good Life - 06/09/2023 - No longer very afraid *
I cannot remember the last time I couldn’t sleep. My nights have become like the nights of my youth. Hard asleep at bedtime and fast alert at dawn—with a dark and empty ocean of still rest in between. And I think I know why. It’s because of my decision, stated resolve and open planning of how I will begin living more deliberate days. A key element is not waiting. I’m not simply planning to read poetry, practice guitar, walk peacefully with my wife and dogs, enjoy a nice meal out on Sunday or any of the other things I wish to do after next year, but I’m doing all of these things now, filling my weeks with all the good stuff I imagine of our new life to come, not waiting ‘till tomorrow to start. And now I can sleep again. Sure, I’m still tired in the afternoon—I’m getting old after all. But it’s good to once more sleep and feel more rested at dawn.
Those nightmare years are like a storm now passed over and gone, roaring and growling and flashing faint lightning on the horizon behind. Sure, there are more storms ahead, some pretty bad ones it seems. But I’m ready, I think—let the rain and the wind and the big seas do their best. At least I’m no longer very afraid to get cold and tumbled and wet. I’m not even very afraid anymore to drown.
Looking back, my old fear seems so silly. But, I needed that fear then, my family was depending on me then to get so many important things right. But that’s done. I’m almost free to fail. And what a relief. For fail I will. I plan to fail now with splendor! I’ll soon fail at everything which is no longer important—and that, I think, is the reason I can once again sleep.
#GoingAlone #PrincipleOfMaturity
The Good Life Meditation is my daily recitation and reminder of personal objectives and principles used in pursuit of a purposeful life in spite of a universe of seeming indifference. Learn more about The Good Life at my website GoingAlone.org or by reading my book Going Alone. And visit our Discord at: https://lnkd.in/gFgfGmY6
OBJECTIVES: 1. Be Always Ready to Die 2. Make Good Use of Time and Resources 3. Develop Good and Sound Life Principles 4. Cultivate Good Emotional Reactions 5. Perform Good Actions 6. Recognize True Limits and Opportunity 7. One Thing Slowly
PRINCIPLES: 1. Principle of War 2. Principle of Reason 3. Homunculus 4. Anchorhold 5. Home of Good and Evil 6. Principle of Purpose 7. Atomic Principle 8. Principle of Nature 9. The Pirate Ride 10. Principle of Maturity 11. Social Principle
12. Principle of Family 13. Public Speaking 14. Temperance 15. Life Will Not Go Well 16. The Horror Show 17. That Which Must Be Borne 18. The Feast of Offal 19. Distraction 20. Agency and The Great Indifference 21. The Best Seat in the House 22. The Restless Man 23. The Path of Wildness 24. The Great Life Adventure 25. The Risk of Avoiding Risk 26. Sin and Damnation 27. Complete Oblivion 28. The Season of Philosophy
29. Scriptwriting 30. Bullseye Aim 31. The Uphill Climb 32. Arena and Utility 33. Nothing IS enough 34. The Principle of Fun
#Stoic #Stoicism #StoicPhilosophy
My name is Kurt Bell.
You can learn more about The Good Life in my book Going Alone.
Be safe... But not too safe.