210516 What I learned in my studies this morning

Hockey playoffs start. 

Knife-footed ice gremlins fly. 

Stanley Cup to win.

From The Daily Stoic: 

Just as I can use incremental steps to create a positive new habit I want to adopt (such as exercising every day or journaling), Epictetus reminds me that I can use incremental achievement to eliminate bad habits from my life. 

I can focus on not being frustrated or not reacting poorly to other's missteps today. If I can do that, my goal becomes to avoid that behavior again tomorrow. Once I get two days behind me, I focus on each day extending the streak. 

In this way, I can build up my self-control, like strengthening a muscle through lifting gradually heavier weights. 

From A Guide to the Good Life by William B. Irvine 

Chapter 8: Meditation — Watching Ourselves Practice Stoicism

There are many good points in this section so I'm going to cover it over more than one day.

To start, Stoic meditation is active. It's not Buddhist meditation where you try to empty your mind so as to see through the illusions of this world and find your connection to the Buddha mind.

Stoic meditation is taking the chance to review your actions, either during down time (e.g. before bed) or as you go about your day so you are proactively considering whether or not your current decisions are in alignment with the virtues you have set as your goals.