31 Dec - 06 Jan 2019
It’s a New Year, and I’ve decided to try a new and revised format for these weeknotes. I’m adopting a new numbering format since I’m able to start right at the beginning of the year, and I found that the week number was a bit weird because really they were episode numbers, not actual week numbers. This year, and from now on, I’m using the actual week number and year. On the off-chance I miss a week, then I’ll just miss that week number out.
I enjoy producing my weekly notes, even if they’re not widely read. My primary motivation for writing them is to keep in the habit of publishing. Over time I’ve realised it’s a public gratitude journal of sorts, combined with a reading and Stoic reflection log. Or simply sharing something I’ve learned that another might benefit from.
Best thing I’ve read
Typically, I’m going to try and keep this to the best thing I’ve read in the week, but I’m immediately going to break my rule for this week because there were two posts that really struck me.
This answer on Quora by Jo Eberhardt is all about how to talk to your kids in a kind way to let them know you’re available to talk about what’s going through their head during puberty. She explains that the changes aren’t just to your body, but your mind as well:
“No, it’s puberty’s fault your brain works the way it does. But that doesn’t mean it’s not your responsibility to recognise what’s going on and change your actions. It’s not easy, but it’s not impossible, either. Your feelings are your feelings, and they’re always okay. But you get to choose your actions. You get to choose what you do with your feelings. And, when you make a mistake, you get to choose to apologise for that mistake and make amends.”
I paused for dramatic effect. “That’s how you prove that you’re becoming an adult.”
It’s never too late to follow your dream: This twitter thread from Andria Amaral is not only an uplifting little story, it’s also a poignant reminder that it’s never too late to do something that you love.
Books I’m reading
Our first book club book of 2019 is I hear you. A short book about validation.
I have also started reading the epic,Seveneves by Neal Stephenson.
What did I learn this week?
Here, I will distill the week down into one lesson that I’ve learned or an idea that I’m going to take forward and implement in my life.
After time off over Christmas, I let the daily routines go a bit and found I was generally unfocused at work. I recognised I was heading into The Drift so I took my own advice, and started putting one piece of my morning and evening routines back in place each day.
A week in Stoicism
I’m re-reading the Daily Stoic again this year as my simple daily Stoic anchor. It starts with perception, and reminding ourselves of what’s in our control and what’s not.
The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can clearly say to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own… Epictetus
weeknotes