A Week Without Complaining

Navigate The Day

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Hey everyone! Welcome back to Navigate the Day! This week, I took on a challenge inspired by a powerful quote from Epictetus:
“For nothing outside my reasoned choice can hinder or harm it―my reasoned choice alone can do this to itself. If we would lean this way whenever we fail, and would blame only ourselves and remember that nothing but opinion is the cause of a troubled mind and uneasiness, then by God, we would be making progress.”
In this episode, I explore the profound idea that our reasoned choice, our will, is the ultimate determinant of our well-being. External events and circumstances can't truly harm us—it's our opinions and reactions that cause distress. With this in mind, I embarked on a week without complaining.
This week was eye-opening. I realized how often I let external factors dictate my mood and reactions. Confidence, I found, comes from taking actions that lead to improvement, embracing the lifelong journey of personal growth. I haven't fully embraced philosophy as my guiding star, and this week showed me the importance of doing so.
Reflecting on my personal life, I acknowledged that I've been chasing dopamine and avoiding discomfort, resulting in a lack of fulfillment. My perfectionism and idealism have been holding me back, preventing me from taking steps towards a life I truly want. Complaining about external things outside my control hasn't served me or anyone around me well.
Instead, I focused on how I can make do with my current situation. I realized that my fears and anxieties have kept me from getting the most out of the present moment. This week, I took a bold step and applied for a position at VaynerMedia, despite feeling underqualified. The worst that could happen is a "no," but the potential for growth and change is too great to let fear stop me.
Epictetus teaches that our mental distress stems from our opinions and judgments, not the events themselves. By focusing on personal responsibility and self-control, we can avoid negative emotions like anger, resentment, and regret. This week, I worked on taking responsibility for my feelings and circumstances, recognizing that I have the power to control my responses.
Join me in this episode as I share my journey through a week without complaining, the lessons I learned, and the progress I made in maintaining a positive and proactive attitude.
Let's navigate this together and find peace and clarity in our thoughts and actions moving forward.

Thank you for listening and joining me on my journey of self-discovery!
Mediations and Prompts influenced from The Daily Stoic Books

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