When the world is scary, find comfort in the teachings of philosophers who knew how to handle a crisis
We often think of philosophy as a bookish pursuit or perhaps as the lifestyle choice of bearded old men living ascetically in caves. But Stoicism — an ancient school of philosophy famously practiced by the likes of Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius — is for the real world, and as we face the coronavirus pandemic, its teachings feel distinctly relevant right now.
When the future is scary and we don’t know what’s next, we can find comfort in the wisdom of those before us, those who’ve endured famine, plague, and natural disasters. …
You can’t get back the time you spend worrying
Have you ever said words to the effect of If only I knew then what I know now?
You’re not the first person to express such thoughts, and you certainly won’t be the last.
Many of us are convinced that if we could go back in time and have a chat with our 20-year old selves, then we could absolutely kill at adult-ing and beyond.
A lot of growth occurs in our 20s. Yet, at 20, we convince ourselves we know everything we need to know and we’re ready to nail it.
It does beg the question, though, what would…
Time spent with family is worth every second
“Nothing else matters so much as long as you can come home and be with your family.” — Patrick Dempsey
Humans are social creatures and we need a strong support network to navigate the world. Your family is a built-in support network ready to draw from when you need it. Your siblings are your first best friends. Your parents are the safe space you run to after you scrape your knees, get a bad grade, experience the loss of your first love, or miss out on your first-choice college.
If you zoom out slightly and include extended family, your cousins…
Don’t trade in your authenticity for approval
“I firmly believe that respect is a lot more important, and a lot greater, than popularity.” — Julius Erving
It’s never been easier to become famous than it is today. With the rise of the internet and social media, there are layers to fame that didn’t exist 30 years ago. Where once you had to rise to the dizzying heights of red carpet award premiers and award shows to land on a cover of a gossip magazine, now?
Well, even a large TLC family lands on People to announce the arrival of yet another child. There are teenagers making millions…
How to spot a shitty person
You already know plenty about the dangers of toxic people in your life, but have you ever stopped to consider that you might be the toxic person in someone else’s life? Yikes! That stings. You know exactly how it feels to come across a family member that leaves you feeling drained. You’re familiar with encountering a colleague that seems to have it out for you and wants to drag you into all the drama.
Or a neighbor that’s particularly difficult about anything and everything if it involves you. Perhaps it’s a friend that wears you down every time you chat…
Warning: meditation may cause the following side effects
The physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual benefits of meditation are often discussed in the media. Most people are aware of how the mindfulness practice of meditation helps you feel grounded, calm, self-aware, and balanced. There is considerable clinical research to support these claims, as well.
As with most things in life, however, the benefits of meditation aren’t without a downside. Though relatively little research has been done on the minuses of meditation, one major study on the experiences of dozens of meditation practitioners was published in the journal PLOS One (Public Library of Science) in 2017. …
A look at the history of the Oscars and how black performers have been treated
On January 14th, 2016, the Academy Award nominees were announced. Among the contenders for Best Picture were de facto front-runner Spotlight, intimate, female-led dramas such as Room and Brooklyn, and Mad Max: Fury Road, which features a man who plays a flamethrower guitar. The acting nominations went to 20 white people. Again.
Twitter and Facebook went up in arms, with #OscarsSoWhite resurfacing after its birth the previous year, and black celebrities such as Will Smith and Spike Lee suggesting a boycott of the Oscars. Despite their personal grievances on being snubbed — for Concussion and Chi-Raq respectively — their anger…
Run for the hills if you recognize him in any of these scenarios
Relationships can be wonderful — magical, even. They bring great happiness, and life just feels better with the right person by your side. Of course, a healthy relationship also takes work — but this is where many women go wrong. That work shouldn’t be endless, and it shouldn’t be one-sided.
Is your boyfriend or husband unfaithful, superior, lazy, bigoted, or sexually aggressive? If you recognize him in any of the following scenarios, he may be exhausting. Does that mean it’s time to go? Let’s discuss that at the end.
Unfaithful
Have you caught your partner cheating? Do you have a funny…
Character is what you are when nobody else is around
Anyone who has spent any time traveling is aware of how every culture does things differently.
For example, in Japan, slurping your soup is a compliment to the chef. It’s rude not to slurp! In Arab cultures, it is profoundly offensive to throw your shoe at someone.
In Thailand, you should bow upon meeting someone rather than shake their hand. In Vietnam, you should only shake hands with someone who is equal, whether that is by rank or by age. In other countries, the woman should instigate the handshake and it’s rude for a man to offer. …
Blessed are those who can give without remembering
Showing appreciation without expecting anything in return is a lot like giving without expecting something in return. Ultimately, showing appreciation is a form of giving and whether you realize it or not, when you engage in either, there’s a part of you deep down that’s looking for reciprocity.
You show your appreciation, you get nothing in return and it stings. You give something, you get nothing in return and it hurts. The more this goes on the more resentful and bitter you become.
You feel all of this hurt based on expectations you’ve set simply because you made a choice…
