Fear is the enemy of your present moment
March 09, 2020"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: It goes on."
– Robert Frost
We are living through interesting days. 2020 started with a bang, and the whole world is facing a virus outbreak, and of course, the economy starts showing signs of recession. A recession everyone saw coming, by the way, but that no one did expect a situation like this one would trigger it.
It's easy to feel absorbed by the anxiety, the news are regularly bad, and for the past few weeks, they've gotten even more catastrophic. We might be worried by the impact COVID-19 could have on our loved ones that have less favorable health, or we might be concerned by the impact a new recession could have on our lives. We all have plans for the future, and we feel suddenly fragile by the whole situation.
It's okay to feel vulnerable by it all. Most of it it's outside of our control. What can we do? Governments, global organizations, and big corporations are the ones that might be making the big decisions. So don't focus on them: focus on what you can do.
And what can you do, you say? For one, focus on the present moment.
Like Seneca said, "No one confines his unhappiness to the present." If you are focused on the present moment and apply your best judgment on the actions you can take, and the things that are outside your control, you'll find it is much easier to realize that hope and fear are just enemies of the present moment, and they do not serve you.
Use the action you can take in the present moment as a way to make your fears things that are not really there, and use your mindfulness as a way to separate what's outside or within your control.
Thank you for reading 🙏
Some links for you
./calm_mood && focus
Playlist
Here's a gift from me to you to join you in your work and study sessions. I've created this playlist that features slow tempo instrumental music and ambient tunes that help me get into a calm, focus state with uplifting music that does not interrupt my train of thought.
Give it a try and let me know what you think! I promise it will help you focus ✌️
The Infectiousness of the Unconflicted Man
Post
Why do we find certain individuals so compelling? What is this infectiousness of the unconflicted man? What makes somebody a visionary, a leader, that inspires a kind of manic following?
Jason Silva explores in this video why we're so susceptible to "gurus": we are all grasping for certainty, and seeing somebody come up with unconflicted ideas is attractive to us.