Aug 21, 2022
Don’t Be Miserable In Advance
Today’s Daily Stoic Meditation outlines the futility in being miserable in advance.
Do not worry, stress or dwell on the things that haven’t happened yet, for you’ll lose your ability to enjoy present things.
“It’s ruinous for the soul to be anxious about the future and miserable in advance of misery, engulfed by anxiety that the things it desires might remain its own until the very end. For such a soul will never be at rest — by longing for things to come it will lose the ability to enjoy present things.”
— SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 98.5b–6a
Don’t Be Miserable In Advance
Don’t be miserable in advance.
Being miserable in advance is when you are anxious and stressed about the future — things that may happen, but have not happened yet.
It is a common trait among many of us, yet is entirely futile and hinders us.
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Do not be miserable in advance.
You do not need to worry about the things that have not yet happened.
The Risks?
There’s great risks attached to being miserable in advance;
- Ruins the soul
- Additional stress
- Additional worry
- You stop living in the present
- You may lose the ability to enjoy present things
Ruins The Soul
Being miserable in advance ruins the soul.
It never lets your soul rest and truly enjoy the present moment.
You Can Face It
A lot of the advanced worry comes from lack of confidence.
Many do not believe that they can face the potential obstacles that may show up, so they worry in advance as so to prepare themselves.
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However, you can face it.
You can face any obstacle that may show up.
You have the skills, the determination and the knowledge to face those obstacles.
Live In The Present
Choose the present. Seize the present. Be present. “To live is the rarest thing in the world. Most people exist, that is all.” — Oscar Wilde
Being miserable in advance takes away your ability to enjoy present things, and this can be extremely damaging to the soul.
You need to work on leaving that worry behind, and living in the present.
What?
Living in the present is the act of forgetting about the past and the future, and living for now.
This practice means to let go of all worries, doubts and fears, and live each small moment in the now, doing everything you can to make that moment your best.
Why?
Aiming to live in the present is always more beneficial than dwelling on the past or future, for a great deal of reasons;
- The past and future don’t exist — they are not tangible
- The present is all you have
- There is great abundance, joy and happiness in the present
If you prioritise living in the present moment, you can access all that abundance and joy.
Focusing on the future only creates worry — forgo that practice.
How?
Theres many great ways you can prioritise living in the present!
Such as;
- Recognise that the present moment is all you have
- Recognise that other items, people, emotions and places will never bring us the permanent joy that we desire. That is only found in ourselves.
- Journal
- Meditate
- Be more social!
- Spend time in nature
- Limit social media usage
Don’t be miserable in advance.
Forget the future and try live in the present.
