2 Jul - 8 Jul 2018
Weather update: still boiling, and I still haven’t shook the cough and snot!
I’ve started experimenting with a paper journal. I’ve often found it uncomfortable journaling electronically on the computer. As I mentioned in my article on getting started with journaling I found I prefer the visceral feel of handwriting in my Stoic Journal, and now I built up a journaling habit using a template I decided that I would give paper another try. So far it’s going great. I’m finding it easier and more helpful than before. I’m taking my own advice and I’ll be using the journaling prompts to set myself some challenges and thought-provoking questions to reflect on over the coming months.
Reading progress
This month’s bookclub is Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss, all about negotiation. I’m really enjoying it and it’s easy to make good progress. It’s well written and gets his points across very well, interspersed with anecdotes about hostage negotiations which demonstrate the techniques.
I also finished Michael Hyatt’s new leadership book, No Fail Meetings. It was a very short read but to the point and had several good points about running more effective meetings that I’m going to take on board for my company.
Backyard camping
It was my son’s birthday this weekend - actual birthday this time, as opposed to last weeks “term” party birthday. We spent the weekend in the garden. He had 8 friends over to camp in the back garden. We had them cook their own dinner on a fire they made and did some camp craft activities. They managed to sleep for about 3½ hours from around 2am til around 5:30am. By the time they went home they looked ready to collapse! I think they had fun though.
A week in Stoicism
This week we’re reminded of our innate goodness and that we have to work hard to protect it. We’re not inherently bad people, we just sometimes do bad things.
It comes down to our choices that decide whether we’re inclined towards virtuous behaviour or away from it.
”On those mornings you struggle with getting up, keep this thought in mind — I am awakening to the work of a human being. Why then am I annoyed that I am going to do what I’m made for, for the very things for which I was put into this world? Or was I made for this, to snuggle under the covers and keep warm? It’s so pleasurable. Were you then made for pleasure? In short, to be coddled or to exert yourself?” Marcus Aurelius
”Good people will do what they find honourable to do, even if it requires hard work; they’ll do it even if it causes them injury; they’ll do it even if it will bring danger. Again, they won’t do what they find base, even if it brings wealth, pleasure, or power. Nothing will deter them from what is honourable, and nothing will lure them into what is base.” Seneca
weeknotes