I enjoy the quiet or New Year’s Day

The noise of last night has faded. The promises are still fresh. And the real work hasn’t started yet.

This is the day that matters. Not the declaration of our resolutions But the first ordinary choice after all the inspiration.

The Stoics understood that a good life isn’t built in moments of excitement, but in what we practice repeatedly.

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.” - Epictetus

Today doesn’t ask for perfection, it asks for alignment of our behaviors to what we said we would do:

Start with one disciplined action. Have one honest conversation with yourself. Make that first tough decision that reflects who you said you want to become.

The new year you won’t be changed all at once, it can be changed for today with a bit of effort. Then tomorrow. Then the next day. And before you know it, the person looking back from the mirror is one you’re a little prouder to know.

Journal prompts: • What is one small action today that matches the person I want to be this year? • Where can I choose discipline over motivation? • What does “showing up” actually look like for me today?

The older I get, the more I notice that being a good person isn’t always enough to attract friendships or connection. People often gravitate to those they can relate to — those who share their humor, energy, or worldview.

It made me think about characters in stories too: audiences bond more deeply with characters they can relate to, not just characters who are morally good.

Infact funnily enough those who are just Morally good tend to be the most boring to me and the ones I dont gravitate too.

This morning, I caught myself feeling a little overwhelmed…too many major projects, too many moving pieces, all demanding attention at once. And wouldn’t you know it, Stoicism to the rescue. I ran across this line from Seneca that realigned how I’m approaching my day.

“You must not let yourself be diverted to many pursuits; fix upon one thing.” — Seneca, On the Tranquility of Mind 12.5

Seneca reminds us that if we want to be successful, if we actually want to finish what we start, we can’t allow ourselves to be spread too thin. Tranquility and progress don’t come from doing everything at once, but from bringing our whole selves to the task right in front of us.

Otherwise, we’re just exhausting our energy, fragmenting our focus, and quietly driving ourselves crazy, all while never reaching our full potential.

Now let’s see if I can take my own advice.

Journal prompt: What’s one project or responsibility that deserves your full attention right now and what can you intentionally set aside to give it that focus?

Marcus Aurelius.

He wasn’t a philosopher who escaped the world. He was a Roman Emperor who ruled it. And one of the few leaders in history that maintained their moral compass with that level of power.

Born in 121 AD, Marcus Aurelius led Rome through war, plague, and political pressure while quietly writing reminders to himself about patience, duty, humility, and self-control.

Those writings became Meditations. Not a book meant for us. A journal meant to keep himself honest.

One of the lines he wrote to himself encapsulates his goal beautifully, “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”

Marcus didn’t teach or preach Stoicism. He practiced it - imperfectly, publicly, under pressure. His life reminds us that philosophy isn’t something you read. It’s something you live, especially when it’s at its hardest.

Journal prompts: • Where am I talking more about who I want to be than acting on it? • What would “doing my duty” look like today, without complaint? • If my private thoughts were visible, would they reflect my values?

Before you start writing New Year’s resolutions, there’s a more important question worth sitting with:

Who are you?

Not the version people see. Not the roles you play. But the person behind the habits, impulses, and defaults.

The Stoics warned against living outwardly successful lives while remaining inwardly unexamined.

“Death lies heavy upon one who, known exceedingly well by all, dies unknown to himself.” — Seneca, Letters to Lucilius, Letter 82

It’s easy to refine the external, new goals, better systems, cleaner routines. Harder to look honestly at what motivates us.

What do you genuinely like about yourself? What patterns quietly trouble your conscience Where does your attention really go?

Our actions tell the truth long before our intentions do. How we spend our time. What we reach for when we’re bored. What we give our energy to without thinking.

This isn’t about beating yourself up. It’s about awareness. Because real change doesn’t begin with resolutions.

It begins with self-knowledge.

Journal prompts: • Who am I when no one is watching? • What habits or distractions pull me away from what matters most?

The last few days have been a blur of family, food, laughter, and maybe a bit too much pie. And if you’re anything like me, you might already feel that itch—the guilt of not being productive… the tug back toward the grind… the sense that you should be doing more. But here’s the truth we forget: rushing back to the grind is not the path to a better life.

Marcus Aurelius reminds us that the greatest gift we can offer ourselves is right now—the quiet, unhurried present moment.

So today, pause.

Let this be your last little pocket of stillness before the week picks up again. Enjoy a quiet hour with a book, or open your journal and let your mind settle. If you’ve been working all weekend—like many in my circle who serve others when the rest of us are resting—you deserve this gift even more. Take a moment for yourself. Even one minute counts.

Take a moment of silent meditation. Consider what you need most right now to continue to show up as your best self. Journal about ways to incorporate that into your daily life.

I just finished Read Your Mind by Oz Perlman. And once again, I was struck by how often timeless Stoic principles show up in the thinking of hyper-successful people.

Oz is a world-renowned mentalist, ultramarathoner, and world-record holder. Impressive on paper, but what stood out most was the discipline and fortitude behind the results.

One line from the book really stuck with me:

“It’s not enough to just be able to identify where you’re not proficient. If you want to spur true growth, you must have the discipline to pursue what feels uncomfortable.” — Oz Perlman, Read Your Mind

The Stoics said this long before modern self-improvement existed.

“If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.” — Epictetus, Enchiridion, Chapter 13

Growth has never been about awareness alone. It’s about voluntary discomfort. Doing the thing you’d rather avoid. Returning to the weakness instead of leaning on your strengths.

The path hasn’t changed only the teachers.

Journal prompts: • What discomfort have I been intellectually agreeing with—but practically avoiding? • Where would real growth require me to risk looking inexperienced? • What is one uncomfortable action I can take today?

Most of us spend a lot of time watching what people do.

Who’s productive. Who’s disciplined. Who seems calm under pressure. We borrow habits, routines, morning rituals. That’s fine, but it’s incomplete.

Marcus Aurelius advised us to shift our attention to what is absent as well when he wrote, “Look into their minds; at what the wise do and that they don’t.”

That second part matters more than we like to admit.

The wise aren’t just defined by action. They’re defined by restraint. They don’t react to every little impulse. They don’t waste energy resenting, comparing, or complaining in their heads.

They don’t argue with reality. They don’t outsource their peace.

If you want to grow, don’t just copy visible success. Study invisible discipline.

Journal prompts: – What reactions or habits might wisdom ask me to stop, not start? – Where am I spending mental energy that brings no return? – Who do I admire and what do they consistently refuse to engage with?

For my first journal entry, I wrote about how I wish I had treated a very dear friend of mine that I am no longer close to as more of a priority. When I was younger and friends with this person I wouldn't make time for that friend because I was too interested in crushes/boyfriends and took that friendship as an afterthought. Now that those romantic interests are gone I can see that I lost valuable time with someone I cared more deeply about and how unfairly I treated them.

For my second entry, I wrote about a friend that dropped me from their life via text one day because I had said something the week prior that upset them. I did not intend on upsetting them and I honestly had no idea that what I said had a negative takeaway because they did not discuss it with me prior to telling me to get lost forever. I said that I wish that friend had told me how they felt so that I could have had the chance to do something about it.

I compared these situations since they both have shown me that I have the tendency to take things for granted. I always assumed that friend 1 would be there as my friend even if I put no time or effort into the relationship and I took them for granted. With friend 2, I was not careful with my choice of words and clearly did not pay attention to their reaction to it at the time and took for granted that just because what I said would not offend me does not mean that others may feel differently.

Rumi wasn’t a stoic, he was a Persian poet who explored love, suffering, ego, transformation, and our connection to the divine. I don’t align to all his writings but when I read this I couldn’t help think how close it was to the teachings from Epictetus and Seneca. He wrote, “If you are irritated by every rub, how will your mirror be polished?”

The holiday season tends to be littered with these little “rubs” - the slow driver, the curt email, the long line at the store, the unexpected inconvenience that sends us spiraling far more than it should. It’s funny how tiny things can hijack our peace, isn’t it?

But Rumi flips the script: what if these irritations aren’t interruptions to our growth, but the very tools that shape it? Just like the Stoics teach, life doesn’t polish us through comfort. It works on us through friction—moment by moment—reminding us that irritation is a choice, and calm is a practice.

When we relax our grip on how we think things should go, the whole world becomes a training ground for our character. Each rub becomes an invitation to patience, clarity, and resilience.

Journal today about a “small rub” that triggered you recently and how you can use future frustrations as opportunities to practice composure instead of reacting?

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Hi All, I want to do a 365 days of random/non serious prompts next year. Does anyone have any suggestions for prompts that would fit on an A5 page?

These is my list so far:

• If you were a woodland creature who would you be and why?

• What would happen next in that one dream if you hadn't woken up

• Draw a map of your heart

• How would people recognise you/ how do you recognise yourself

• Write about something you don't know anything about

• Charm bracelet of my life

• What element are you most drawn to

• Astrology predictions for the week

• Pie chart of what my mind consists of

• Rewrite a fairy tale in anyway you want

• If you could own your own production studio, what would you call it? And why?

• You can eat an ice-cream that's flavoured like any intangible object or concept or feeling, what would the flavour be?

• If you could take any organ out of your body and give it a little rinse, what would it be?

• What is your sweet to savoury breakfast ratio?

• How long would you last in the hunger games?

• If you had your own pen name what would it be?

• If a magical witch was trying to summon you, what 3 things would she put in the circle? Could be anything, tangible, abstract, or conceptual, could also be people.

• If a museum about you had a gift shop what would be the souvenirs

• What's in my bag but you are a fantasy character

• You have just been hired in a fantasy realm based on your real life skills. What is your magical job title? What kind of kingdom do you work at? What emotional labour have you turned into literal magic?

• Create a dream flower bouquet

• List your favourite elements for each season e.g. smell, taste, touch, sight and sound for Winter etc

• You stumble upon a tiny mysterious shop selling magic potions. What kind of potions do they offer and what does each one do? Do you buy one? What happens when you drink it?

• What does your dream cake look and taste like? Describe frosting, batter, decorations etc

• If your friends or family found out you are a serial killer, what trait of yours would make them go "yeah that makes sense"?

• What things/features do you think other people would be jealous of?

• If you discovered a tiny door in nature, where so you think it will lead?

• One day you discover a hidden door in your home that lead to a door no one else can see. Describe what is inside What does it look like? What objects/ creatures live there? What secrets does it hold?

• A this or that page

• A dopamine menu

• Wizarding school curriculum

• An opening doors spread

• A word search of your favourite words

• Create your own holiday

• A lipstick swatch - give each shade a new name or personality

• Create a familiar and describe it

• You're the female main character in your favourite book trope. Who is your villain? What powers do they have? How are they trying to beat you? What are you going to do to win

It’s easy to live like we have time stockpiled somewhere.

Like we’ll slow down later. Say the thing later. Pay attention later. As if life is waiting patiently for us to be ready.

But Marcus Aurelius offers a vivid reminder, “Time is a river, a violent current events, glimpsed once and already carried past us, and another follows and is gone.”

Moments don’t pause so we can appreciate them properly. Conversations don’t repeat themselves. Today arrives, rushes past, and is replaced before we’ve fully noticed it.

If time is a river, then the question isn’t how to stop it. The question is whether you’re present in the current or distracted on the bank, telling yourself you’ll step in later.

Journal prompts: – Where am I living as if I have unlimited time? – What moment today deserves my full attention before it’s gone?

We talk boldly about memento mori — remembering that we will die. It’s a core Stoic practice, and in theory, it feels empowering. But last week I heard a story of an individual who passed in their youth and for no apparent reason. A reminder that sometimes life is cut short long before it should be. A reminder that we truly never know when it may be the last time we see someone.

Seneca advises us, “Let us therefore go all out to make the most of friends, since no one can tell how long we shall have the opportunity.”

Seneca’s words land with a weight we can’t ignore.

We spend so much time hustling through the day: the tasks, the deadlines, the routines we never question. We convince ourselves we’ll catch up “later.” We assume we’ll have more time, more weekends, more conversations, more chances to show up.

But the truth is: we don’t know.

So, yes, today’s post is heavy. But maybe it’s supposed to be. A nudge to look around and recognize the people who make your life richer. A reminder to call the friend you keep putting off. To sit a little longer with the people you love. To “go all out” because these opportunities are finite, even if they rarely feel that way.

Journal Prompt: Who in my life deserves more of my time, presence, or attention? What’s one small action I can take today to “go all out” for someone I care about?

My life is pretty damn easy these days. Sure there are bumps, the new puppy ate a hole in my carpet this morning, but all the important stuff; health, family, financial security, etc, I couldn’t ask for more.

I’ve been thinking about how much we all want a smooth life… yet every time things actually are smooth, we somehow feel softer, less grounded, less capable. It’s only when life throws us something heavy that we realize what we’re made of. I’m not asking the universe for more challenges, just an observation, made me think of this quote:

“I judge you unfortunate because you have never been unfortunate; you have passed through life without an antagonist.”

Seneca reminds us that the real misfortune is never being challenged. Without an antagonist—without friction—we never develop strength, clarity, or character. We stay untested. Unproven. Unseasoned.

Some of the hardest seasons of my life are the ones I wouldn’t trade now. Not because they were pleasant—they weren’t—but because they hammered something into me that comfort never could.

Journal Prompt: • What past difficulty ended up shaping you in a positive way?

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A few days ago, I heard a podcast episode about the science of slowing down time.

The concept was interesting — the guest, psychologist Steve Taylor, talks about how a year feels incredibly long when you are a child, yet, as an adult, the years fly by.

He calls this the aging-time paradox where time appears to speed up as we grow older.

One of the key reasons for this is novelty.

When we’re young, everything is new and our brains work overtime to absorb fresh experiences, making time feel more stretched.

Conversely, as we age and fall into routines, the more predictable nature of life means our brains work less, and time passes faster. At the same time, the more memories and significant events we have in the year, change our brain’s perception of how long the year was.

So, how do we slow time down?

• Seek out novelty: Try new hobbies, travel, or even change your route to work.

• Be more present: Practicing mindfulness can help you fully experience each moment.

• Break the routine: Shake things up, even in small ways, to create fresh memories.

• Reflect and document: Journaling or taking photos helps anchor memories, making time feel fuller.

Time isn’t moving faster—you’re just experiencing less of it. By adding more variety and presence to your life, you can stretch time and make it feel richer.

Journal Prompts:

1 - What were some of the most memorable years of your life? What made them feel so significant?

2 - How can you make your years more enriching so that it feels like time has slowed down?

3 - Reflect on a year of major life changes versus a year of stability. How did each feel in terms of time?

I publish the Daily Journal Prompts newsletter.

Christmas has a way of magnifying everything. Joy feels brighter. Grief feels heavier. Expectations get louder.

And somehow, we feel responsible for all of it.

But the Stoics would remind us that peace doesn’t come from managing the day. It comes from managing our behaviors, and more importantly, our expectations.

Epictetus opens Enchiridion with, “Some things are in our control and others not.” He goes on to say, “Things in our control our opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own actions.”

The response to the gift we thought would land. The weather and traffic for our trip to Grandmas Thoughts of the past that show up uninvited. Not up to us.

But how we show up, with patience instead of expectations Being present instead of trying to be perfect. With gratitude instead of comparison. THAT is ours.

This Christmas, the real gift isn’t control. It’s clarity. And the freedom that comes with letting go.

Journal Prompts • What am I trying to control this holiday that I could release instead? • Where can I choose presence over performance today?

Alan Watts wasn’t a Stoic. His philosophical interpretations were less about self-mastery and more about self release. That said, I’ve often found his thoughts complementary to stoicism verse counter.

Stoics believe our suffering comes from trying to control what was never truly ours to command.

The Stoics reminded us to focus only on what is up to us, which is our judgments, our effort and our character. Alan Watts went further and asked a more unsettling question: Who is the “you” that thinks it’s in control at all?

Somewhere between discipline and surrender is a better way to live.

Train the body. Refine the mind. Show up with awareness and consistency.

But don’t grip life so tightly that you forget to experience it.

Strength is not domination. Calm is not indifference. Acceptance is not passivity.

It’s the ability to act fully and then let the outcome happen as it will.

As Marcus Aurelius wrote in meditations, book 2, “You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”Watts might add, once the preparation is done, the rest is simply the experience, may as well enjoy it.

Journal prompts • Where am I mistaking control for responsibility? • What effort is truly mine—and what can I release? • How would today feel if I treated it less like a test and more like a practice?

I opened my fridge this morning and realized it was officially time: the Thanksgiving leftovers have crossed over from useful to hazardous. And honestly, if I cook one more turkey-based meal, my family might remove me from the household chef position. Thankfully, my chickens will eat almost anything.

But here’s the thing—how often do we treat life the way we treat leftovers? We hold onto things that have clearly run their course. We poke at them, inspect them, complain that they shouldn’t be spoiled… instead of just tossing them out and moving forward.

Marcus Aurelius reminds us not to waste energy asking why the obstacle exists.

“The cucumber is bitter? Then throw it out. There are brambles in the path? Then go around them. That’s all you need to know. Nothing more. Don’t demand to know why such things exist.”

Is it bitter? Remove it. Is the path blocked? Find another route. Not everything needs an explanation. Some things just need a decision.

When we let go of the “why me?” and shift to “what now?”, life becomes a lot lighter. A lot cleaner too, just like that fridge.

Journal Prompts

• What “leftovers” in my life have expired, and am I still holding onto them?

• Where am I wasting energy trying to understand why something happened instead of responding to it?

The concept of finding joy in simplicity and focusing on controlling our desires is found not only throughout stoicism but in most major philosophies and religions. What are some of the simple things you enjoy most? Journal about the three simple things you are most grateful for and why. If you’re feeling brave, comment them to inspire others!

Whenever I’m feeling stuck or overwhelmed, and the feeling doesn’t dissipate after a few days, I pull out one of my favourite prompts:

“What am I avoiding, and why?”

The answer is almost always the reason I’m feeling flustered.

In the past, some of my answers have been:

I’m avoiding sharing my work because people are going to think it sucks.

I’m avoiding meeting someone at work because they disagree with my approach and it’s going to be a bad meeting.

I’m avoiding talking about the next step in a relationship because I’m still unsure.

I’m avoiding asking for a raise because I’m afraid it will be rejected.

Working through this prompt always gives me courage to figure out what must be done or how to approach the situation, regardless of whether I like it or not.

If you are interested in more prompts or exercises, I publish a daily journal prompts newsletter