I spent my run this morning going through sketchy side streets and jungle paths, running from dogs and waiting for this cow to become distracted enough for me to sprint past. Let’s just say my heart rate was up well before my run started.
I did however wave to everyone, yelling morning with a big smile, and it was interesting to see the funny change in expression by the people of rural Uluwatu. Most were stunned by my sudden 6:30am noise, but despite the language barrier, I’m glad to say my efforts were returned with equal kindness. Everyone said good morning, most smiled, some laughed.
Pretty interesting experience I reckon.
Actual entry:
I’ve spoken in the past about whether being happy is really the goal. I think it’s an interesting question to consider, and I find myself revisiting it all the time. It feels great to be happy, and it feels terrible to be the opposite. The natural conclusion is that we should seek the good and avoid the bad.
As suggested in the previous entry, pursuing happiness doesn’t guarantee happiness, and being blessed with happiness doesn’t guarantee it will last.
What then should we pursue, if we should not seek happiness?
There comes a point where we need to stop just pulling people out of the river. We need to go upstream and find out why they’re falling in - Bishop Desmond Tutu
The ancient stoics answer to this question might be this: an understanding of what’s in our control.
Our well-being can be determined in part by a combination of two things:
Internal factors
External factors
External factors can include things like the weather, how much traffic there is, how long the line is, what people do, what people say, and how people act. It is the long list of everything that is not within your control.
It is a roll of a dice whether each of these factors are good or bad, and the sum of this is the external contribution of your emotional state.
The problem lies in applying a weighting to each external force against our mood.
For example some people are very bothered by bad weather. So much so that their outlook for the rest of the day can be determined by rain and cloud.
This is where I take major issue. Good or bad weather is not up to you.
The more emphasis we put on external forces like the weather, the less control of our well-being we have. We leave it up to fate whether everything crumbles or falls into place, and even then good weather doesn’t last forever.
Even injuries, setbacks, upsets and disappointments only hold power if your mind deems it so.
Instead we should focus on what you we control: what you say, what you do, what you eat, how long you sleep, how much you complain, how much you exercise, how much you learn, and how you treat others.
Rather then rolling die, we hold the levers through which we can control our mind, our well-being and pursue our goals. Rather than waiting for the perfect conditions to fall in our lap we take action now and always.
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the wisdom to know the difference.
Emphasise right action towards your goals as a measure of wellbeing and satisfaction. Otherwise you’re just a feather in the wind, hoping to be happy.
What happens to you matters far less than what you choose to do about it.
Just Something To Consider.
Really like this. I feel like a lot of anxiety stems from the fear of things outside of our control, and if you’re able to take a mental step back you are able to realise this.
It’s interesting because sometimes having the knowledge that you can’t control things is comforting, but it can also be really daunting to accept at the same time. I think that’s when it becomes really important to have those solid habits you mention and really focus on those as they are within your reach.