Self-Awareness is a Superpower, While Its Opposite is a Terrible Danger
A philosophical approach to the awareness that makes all the difference.
“As long as you live, keep learning how to live.” — Lucius Annaeus Seneca
How we view life determines how life views us.
This pandemic has presented us with a challenge and an opportunity to come face to face with who we are, with how we live, with what we believe, and with what we will do henceforth. Hard times are times to ponder, times to think, and times to grow.
One mental tool that is a casualty in times like these is one that Epictetus, the great slave-turned-philosopher whose lessons have rung true for centuries, taught in his lectures. And it’s simple.
External vs Internal Focus
Focus influences everything, from intention to action to outcome.
These days I see most people looking outward with an almost cagey external awareness. They see what’s outside of them as what will hurt or grow them. They see external things — and ignore what’s within. And while things outside of us are important to be aware of, just as important is the awareness of what is within — and the goods and evils…
