210730 What I learned in my studies this morning

Evening studies mark

The end of the busy day. 

Study. Think. Sleep. Go! 

Daily Stoic:

Finding inner joy is tough, but once you tap into that secret well, it is a spring that can last forever. 

It's not about being the life of the party, or cheerfulness, or even about simple smiling.  Rather, it's about inner peace and contentment. It's about accepting the world as it is and still being ok with that, no matter what comes. 

A perfect Stoic sage might be like this. I am not. 

I try, and I'm better than I was a mere 8 months ago when this journaling journey began, but I all too often show the frailty of my spirit, allowing myself to become upset or dispondent or depressed over some thing or other that is never actually worth getting worked up about. 

I'll keep working and, hopefully making progress, but the path is not easy. Ryan Holiday, in today's meditation in The Daily Stoic, puts it this way:

<<Who cares if someone is bubbly when times are good? What kind of accomplishment is that?

. 

But can you be fully content with your life, can you bravely face what life has in store from one day to the next, can you bounce back from every kind of adversity without losing a step, can you be a source of strength and inspiration to others around you? That’s Stoic joy—the joy that comes from purpose, excellence, and duty. It’s a serious thing— far more serious than a smile or a chipper voice.>>

Today's Meditation:

Daily Shakespeare: