62. It's hard. But we have to try.
because that's the best way (only way?) to get to the end goal.
☕️ the main thing
"No one worked harder on being Fred Rogers than Fred Rogers himself.”
— his wife, Joanne
Joanne Rogers didn’t want people to think of Fred Rogers as some kind of saint. In interviews, she often emphasized the considerable effort that her husband made to be the person he was known for.
Fred Rogers wasn’t simply playing a role or putting on a facade. He genuinely strived to live up to the values, principles, and ideals he espoused.
“Many of us state values we wish we had as a way to cover up the values we actually have.”
— Mark Manson
Real talk here: It’s hard work being the person we want to be.
It’s hard work to identify the REAL values that we live by — not the surface-level, nice-sounding values we readily enumerate when asked. And even after we’ve identified what truly matters to us, it’s hard work to act accordingly all the time.
But we have to try. Every day.
Because think about the alternative.
I believe being intentional about the kind of person we want to be and how we live — especially in the second half of our lives — is the key to dying happy and with little to no regrets.
And that’s the end goal, isn’t it?
🔗 building on this
Framed on Fred Roger’s wall was a quote from the famous children’s book, The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. Why this quote? What did it mean to him? What is Essential Is Invisible To The Eye
What is a good life? Does it mean a moral life? Or an Epicurean life of pleasure? Perhaps it means a fulfilled life or a life of meaning? Aarghh. No wonder this is the ultimate philosophical question of the ages. What Does It Mean To Live The Good Life?
🔔 cue for you
Imagine yourself at the end of your life, looking back. What actions or choices would you regret not having pursued?
📣 hear hear
“We have two lives, and the second begins when we realize we only have one.”
—Confucius
🎙 what’s playing
Stress Relief Principles with Shulamit Ber Levtov
Stress is a common experience that affects our physical, mental, and emotional well-being, especially in midlife. But unfortunately, only a few have been taught to manage stress effectively. As a result, how to deal with stress is often one of those things we fumble our way around through life!
In the second episode in our series on Midlife Well-Being, mindset and resilience consultant Shulamit Ber Levtov shares her insights on what stress really is, how our bodies respond to it, and the three principles of stress relief. Throughout the episode, we provide practical tips and strategies for managing stress and building resilience.
💬 last word
About seven years ago, I stumbled upon The Obstacle is The Way, a book written by Ryan Holiday. It was my first introduction to Stoicism and kickstarted my study of this philosophy.
Today, I can say Stoicism guides me. It helps me stay true to the kind of person I want to be.
It’s not for everybody, obviously.
But it reminded me of the value of having a set of guiding principles that we subscribe to and strive to live by, in good times and bad.
What’s yours?
Here’s to a joyful and easeful week ahead.
Cool Beans,
Lou Blaser