Category: stoicism. Date read: April 17, 2016. My rating: 3/5. Buy on Amazon.
You can achieve personal freedom. It doesn't depend on external factors, only on you. Life, as it is today, is full of unnecessary burdens. Constantly clean up and periodically reflect upon your life to achieve freedom. Enjoying every bit of it without regrets.
Your Freedom Depends on You
Stop thinking on freedom as a restraint. There is nothing you have to break free from.
Nothing outside ourselves will ever make us free. — Jeff Hirz
Stop thinking you're going to be happy once you achieve something, anything.
Remove everything that takes energy from you and doesn't contribute towards your well being.
Decide to stop spending time cleaning things you don't find beautiful. Stop maintaining things you don't use. Stop hanging out with people that makes you feel less than awesome.
Let go everything robbing your time and energy, so you can focus on what truly matters.
Do it now. You don't need anything to happen before you take action.
Beware of empty experiences.
Enjoy yourself, but don't let it dominate your life.
Don't let anything dominate your life.
Relationships
You, with your limited intellect, will never know the exact consequences of your actions.
Realize that your truth is different from everybody else's.
Learn to differentiate the frivolous from the important.
Accept the fact that everybody gets hurt, and everybody hurts others.
Avoid reacting to your judgement. Your opinions are not more important than actions themselves.
Don't become emotionless, but don't become a slave to them.
Acknowledge your emotions.
Be aware of the emotions that external things causes. Watch out your reactions. Decide how to best express your emotions.
Become interesting by becoming interested in new skills and knowledge.
Responsibility
Accept that everything that happens to you is the culmination of your choices.
Things aren't inherently “good” or “bad”. These are labels we attach to them.
Enable forgiveness by detaching yourself from the next “bad” thing that happens to you.
He who takes upon himself the humiliation of the people is fit to rule them. — Jeff Hirz
Do everything the best you can, then let go of the results. The journey is more important than the destination.
Think about the future. Just don't attach yourself emotionally to possible outcomes.
Seek the truth. We are overloaded with information. Do the research, verify the claims, and evaluate if it is good for you.
Moderate your excesses. Avoid letting new and beautiful things become mundane.
Let go of fear. It's obsolete. We aren't in the same danger as we were thousand of years ago.
Remember that one day you'll die. Accept it as soon as you can.
Healthy Habits
Improve your awareness by constantly asking yourself what are you doing right now and why.
Reduce your distractions, to increase awareness.
Never stop getting rid of burdens, regardless of their form. Make room for things that matters.
Find a few minutes every day to be quiet, still, and present.