I was just writing in my journal that I hadn’t written in a while. I almost always start like that. I apologise to myself for my own procrastination. But, it’s good to acknowledge it and remind myself when procrastination takes over. It allows me to get out of it knowing that by writing in the first place I am well on my way to becoming productive again. I recently came across a quote from Rumi, a 13th-century Persian poet: “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

I oftentimes get so caught up with thinking too far into the future about hypothetical situations and events that are undoubtedly out of my control. Yet, they play over and over in my mind as if I will surely live them. I know that I should focus on the things I can change and live in the moment, yet my mind continues to wander. It’s a neverending cat and mouse game I play with myself. My spirits are up when I get the good news and the future looks bright ahead and they’re down when I get the bad news and the hereafter looks grim. As I continue to accept that I should focus on the “here and now” and on improving myself, the rest should follow.

Rather timely, I just received the Daily Stoic newsletter from Ryan Holiday and today’s advice is that “It’s Ok to Stumble.” He goes on to quote Marcus Aurelius:

“When jarred, unavoidably, by circumstance, revert at once to yourself, and don’t lose the rhythm more than you can help. You’ll have a better grasp of the harmony if you keep on going back to it.

It’s the same message that has stood the test of time because, it’s proven. We create these crazy non-existent scenarios that live outside of ourselves when all we have to do is look within. Only then can we recognize peace and refocus on the journey ahead in order to deal with life’s ups and downs.