🚶♂️ Trying to Walk the Talk
Sunday Scoop #34 - Not shamelessly preaching anything in this issue. More of a weekly reflection.
Hey friends,
I’ve been in a bit of a emotional rollercoaster this week.
My week started off with hosting 3 Manifesto Nights in a row, and ending with Voting and Election Day for the KYUEM Student Council 2021/2022.
This led to a unexpected spiral of self-questioning on whether I’ve done my best to serve the Student Body and if I could’ve done more to fulfil my role.
On other fronts, catching up on academics is proving to be a tougher ordeal than I imagined. With Trials coming up in approximately a week, certain topics still catch me off guard and I tend to make careless mistakes once my focus wavers.
With these, came another self-activated spiral of doubt across all aspects of my life.
Does A2KI have enough momentum to continue?
Am I prepared enough for my Trials?
Have I been a supportive friend through these high-pressure moments?
et cetera
et cetera
My Talk
Now, whether you know me on a personal capacity or through my writings, it is no secret that I am a big sucker for personal development, life advice and all that good stuff.
As it were, a symphony of Tim Ferris, Naval, Derek Sivers, Austin Kleon and a bunch of other Stoic teachers started a choir right in my head.
And that got me thinking.
Throughout various issues of this newsletter, I’ve shamelessly espoused about the virtues of Stoicism, how it helps us be in control of our emotions and hence make us remain resilient to external triggers. Here are a few examples, if you’d like a revisit/read.
Those were what I considered my ‘better days’.
I was speaking (writing) from a position of privilege. Things were going well in my life and I could afford to take sufferings just a little lightly than someone actually facing the devils themselves.
My Talk
What if I use this opportunity to test if I can find it in myself to embrace my current situation (Amor Fati) and focus on what I can control to make my situation better (Dichotomy of Control) ?
In hindsight, we are so rarely presented with a chance to test the values that we hold close to heart.
It’s so easy to claim that we embody the ideals we preach and believe in. Anyone with a mouth and a functioning voice box can do that.
The challenge is getting your hands dirty putting yourself to the test in a real-life situation and see how you fare.
This little challenge gamified the whole processed and gave me the mental shift I needed to dig deep and focus more on the work (within my control) and worry less about the results (not in my control).
With that said, I hope that my that I’m sharing with you today adds value in some way, shape and form to your life.
Jia Shing.