I’m a total book worm. I never played a lot of video games as a kid, so reading would transport me to other worlds. I love the feeling of turning physical pages, the smell of fresh ink, and the weight of a book in my lap. I am not a big fan of dog-earing pages, but I often taken pen and highlighter to pages, and quite a few books have sand that fall out of them when held up (reading on the beach is the best). So I’m not a neat freak when it comes to books. And I understand there’s only so much room in a suitcase when you travel, so multiple books or hefty novels get left behind (always regretfully).
But when I saw an ad for a $130 Kindle Paperwhite the other day, I almost spat out my drink. There is no way I could ever spend that much money on another device (technically it’s on sale for $99 right now). I read a statistic about a year ago that said the average American owns a minimum of 3 devices (phone, laptop, and tablet being the most typical). So why would you buy another device – when there are Kindle apps for download – just to read?
I’ll save my frustration, since most people are not purists when it comes to reading hardcopies. I’ve even gotten in the habit of specifically seeking out “coffee table books” for my apartment. Call me old-fashioned, but I refuse to become so ingrained in my technology that I completely ward off physical books for the rest of my life. To me, that would be a sad existence.
For the past few years, I have immersed myself in studying philosophy through elective classes at college. I continuously read and learn about various topics, and I recently came across an article that talked about stoicism — a school of philosophy that focuses on the control of emotions, and the need for knowledge in all walks of life. The word stoic has adopted a negative connotation since its origin with Athens in the early 3rd century BC, but has lived on in many forms and walks of life.
As a college student, the challenges of a different class schedule, lack of nutrition, on and off stress, and endless critique, are just common occurrences for me every day. So coming across a teaching that — when mastered, can give you a calm temperament and mental fortitude even in the most trying of times — I was ready to dive in. Searching through several Amazon pages, I was recommended The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. Currently situated in the Top Ten Most Sold list on Amazon, the reviews were stellar and full of praise. I decided to give it a go.
I have tried daily journals in the past, but one of my main faults is a very distinct lack of self-discipline (funny isn’t it? now that I am challenging myself to post every day for a few months). I find I work best under pressure, so procrastination is my best friend. Now, fast forward to me getting the book right after Christmas, and then again to starting the first page on January 1st. Now fast forward again to today. I want to share my topic of thought for the 17th:
Most teenagers choose to fool around rather than exert themselves. Halfhearted, lazy effort gives them a ready-made excuse: “It doesn’t matter. I wasn’t even trying.” As we get older, failure is not so inconsequential anymore. Whats at stake is not some arbitrary grade or intramural sports trophy, but the quality of your life and your ability to deal with the world around you. Don’t let that intimidate you, though…just begin the work. The rest follows.
The Daily Stoic, pg. 25
Now, as someone who has a profession in the art field, my work is something that defines me. I wouldn’t say my work is extremely personal, or touching, but if I do a bad job, it hurts my name. We have to sign every single piece of paper we draw on at school. Your name is everything. And in recent years, I’ve become extremely overwhelmed about this fact. If my name is everything, and I try hard and do a terrible job, then what am I benefitting from? Learning is hard enough. And today’s topic has become something I strive for. I need to just start. If I start something, more often than not, I can finish it. But when I jump straight to thinking about how much work I have to get done, my mind goes numb.
Learning about and practicing stoicism has brought simple, yet profound, thought processes into my life. Meditating on each day, reading the same page morning and night, has gotten me into the habit of being more mindful. Starting something — like this blog — shouldn’t be my arch nemesis. It should be a jumping off point. I’m not going to worry about the next day or thing, because I am right here, right now.
observations + rambles from a design student 