The Good Life - 08/22/2023 - Always ready to die
Being always ready to die. It’s interesting how much impact this first objective has had on my life. To begin each morning with a careful assessment of readiness for death: Are my affairs in order? Are my relationships sound? Is my life’s work complete? And when the answer is yes to all three questions, even before the sun has yet fully risen, then how much easier and more peaceful the coming day. It’s that same feeling you get while waiting to board a flight overseas, when you’ve checked the boarding pass, which is in hand, along with our passport, and our carry-on bag is snug at our side—everything ready. I’m ready! Only there’s nothing printed on the ticket, and no plane waiting at the end of the ramp. Just an open door to nowhere. And no one minding the gate. Am I really ready today to go through that door? Yes, yes and yes. Though I hope it’s not today. As I’ve got good and interesting plans for today. Tomorrow, too. But, if today is the day. And the answer was three times “yes”. Then it’s up and gone for me—hopefully, without a single backwards glance.
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.