Have you heard of Negative Visualization?
Pause now and then to consider the state of your life. Think of the people you love and the things you value. If you love someone, consider how you’d fare without them. If you have a great ride, think how you’d do on a bicycle or bus pass. Think of how bored you’d be if you could no longer do whatever hobbies you enjoy. Ponder the changes that a sudden loss of health would bring. This can help prepare you for an unexpected loss or change, although nothing will ever really prevent grief. More importantly, it should help you appreciate your circumstances and the people around you more, and make you content with the life you already live.
You seem dismissive of meditation and books, which seems odd for a question like this, but the first I’d recommend would be A Guide to the Good Life.
I wanted to recommend this one... written by a philosophy professor, it's very accessible and made a big difference for me. It's sort of an intro to stoicism.
https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Good-Life-Ancient-Stoic-ebook/dp/B0040JHNQG/ref=sr_1_3?
Secondly--- I own a business with a seasonal slow period. For 3-4 months each year I more or less don't have to work. I have been fighting that strange guilt sensation for so long. I know exactly what you mean.
It's hard to do anything different from what EVERYBODY else is doing. But it doesn't mean we are wrong to do it. Stoicism has helped me accept that it's perfectly natural that I would feel strange given that my lifestyle is so different from pretty much everyone else's.
There's a theory of psychology that due to the millenia of generations of survival of the fittest, our brains are hard wired to worry. It's only been for the last few generations that a good portion of the human population could live without having to be on guard constantly against death by wild animals, starvation from crop failures/not finding food to hunt, small wounds becoming infected and killing you, etc.
Those of us alive today are the descendants of the ones who DID worry enough about the dangers in the world to survive through them long enough to have kids and keep them alive too. The ones less inclined to worry would have survived less often. So you could say many of us were bred through natural selection to be peak worriers.
Today our world no longer requires this level of worry, but we're stuck with brains which are built to be anxiously aware. Our brains will create those feelings even when our lives do not require any worry at all.
I read a great book on Stoicism a few years ago I really enjoyed. I think it definitely helps keep these anxious feelings in perspective. Step 1 for me is to accept that those feelings are entirely normal and not something I need to fight agains. u/cagarsalvagemente you might enjoy this book!
https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Good-Life-Ancient-Stoic-ebook/dp/B0040JHNQG
This is the 101 in stoicism. If you want to be happy, you have to learn what you can control and what not. This book is a goog starter: A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy (English Edition) https://www.amazon.de/dp/B0040JHNQG/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_taa_EouqDbTJH6VM7
Having read a few over the past few years, id agree with everyone who says Enchiridion and Meditations
I’d look at The Little Book of Stoicism by Jonas Salzgeber
I feel you, I was blocked for 25years.
And then I stumbled upon Julia Cameron's "The artist's way"
It's a toolbox, packed with exercices and inspirational quotes, It's a course in several chapter to unblock you and pick off your shoulders all those bricks of compressed bad feelings abd false beliefs that are bringing you down. You'll need a notebook and pencil, and often your art tools too.
It has effectively unblocked me. I can create again, instead of just piling up new crafts and arts materials (I just have to buy my favourite watercolor when there's 30% off, even if I know I won't use it in the near future, for instance), that came in handy now that I'm unblocked and with the lockdown.
The link sends you to the "look inside" feature so you can see how it's organized. I didn't follow the 12weeks timeline, I just grab the book and continue when I feel I'm ready for it.
I still do the Morning Pages every now and then, to cleanse myself from any dark thoughts that are bringing me down, a little like a pensieve (HP).
Highly recommend it! But not in audio, this is a book you'll be going back to, better get the paperback.
Perhaps this will be helpful - written by Nabeel Quereshi, a convert from Islam to Christianity:
https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Allah-Finding-Jesus-Christianity-ebook/dp/B07BB54FS5
Only $4 on kindle
Weird correction, are you trying to say that whoops, I'm secretly a theist because I try to follow Stoicism?
Some philosophers have retooled ancient Stoicism as a modern non-religious life philosophy, and it adapts really well to modern secular values and a material world: https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Good-Life-Ancient-Stoic-ebook/dp/B0040JHNQG. The doctor of philosophy who wrote that book is very emphatic about the nonreligious nature of this notion of life philosophies. My point was that atheism is not a life philosophy, and if you simply reject religion -- which comes with life philosophies preinstalled -- you still need to find a life philosophy.
I found a couple books in the sidebar that are along the lines of what I'm looking for: A Guide to the Good Life and Get a Life: You Don't Need a Million to Retire Well.
If I could recommend a book for anyone it's The Art of Stoic Joy.. Surface level philosophy but it helped me at least consider why and how I think about things. Honestly I should probably reread it.
I'm not going to lecture you with a bunch of platitudes. I've been there, for different reasons, but I've been there. I get it. I tipped over the apple cart of my whole life and made some huge changes. I'd say if you're going down that road anyway then shake shit up. Not sure your financial situation will improve but make some dramatic changes and see if anything is worth sticking around for. If you're resigned to ending it then you have everything to gain and nothing to lose.
And dude if you ever want someone to just bitch and complain to, you can shoot me a message. Best to you bud.
I am really deep inside that philosophy for few years. I recommend you to try this book: https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Stoicism-Resilience-Confidence-ebook/dp/B07MY2VFQD Great straightforward introduction. You could also dig into rabbit hole thorough the subreddit, they have FAQ for example.
I recommend this book. It is a historical, but not biblical, look back at Jesus life.
Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BRUQ7ZY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_7Y2XTZZCQCEV4G7S6Z7X
Remember that Jesus was poor and illiterate. Most of his original followers were also poor and illiterate. All we know of Jesus comes from Paul*, who never met him but wrote half the New Testament, and Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, who each wrote their versions with a specific audience in mind. AND the gospels have been revised to make them more cohesive. I honestly believe that Jesus was an extraordinary man. A man of his background made enough of a splash that he had to be killed. He must have been incredibly charismatic. However, I don’t believe that he had the foresight or resources to pull off the kind of scam that you’re suggesting against the religious leaders of his community and the actual Roman empire.
*Paul carefully crafted Christian doctrine to line up as much as possible with what we call the Old Testament. Paul had the background and education to do it. He is the true architect of Christianity as we know it today. He probably was sincere, but he’s the one who should be blamed for taking “love thy neighbor” and turning it into a global super weapon.
As a light/easy read intro I like this book: https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Good-Life-Ancient-Stoic-ebook/dp/B0040JHNQG From there you can go to the original sources recommended in the FAQ and comments.
I truly understand where you’re coming from. I loved writing when I was a kid and then, for unfathomable reasons (to me now at almost 50) stepped away from it. I want to recommend this book—it has changed my life:
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
Even if you do only some of the exercises, this book can help change you’re thinking and get back in touch with the writer inside you.
Regarding art block. There's a great book called The Artist's Way. https://www.amazon.com/Artists-Way-25th-Anniversary-ebook/dp/B006H19H3M
It can get a little too meta-spiritual for some, but it is filled with processes and thoughts on nurturing the creative spirit. It requires some real work, but its well worth it in my opinion. Morning Pages alone is a big game changer.
Read "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus." He goes the through the exact steps he used to research Islam and why he finally realized it was false and Christianity is true. https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Allah-Finding-Jesus-Christianity-ebook/dp/B07BB54FS5
Read "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus." He goes through the steps he took to research Islam and Christianity. It's an amazing book! https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Allah-Finding-Jesus-Christianity-ebook/dp/B07BB54FS5
Read "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus." He goes through all the steps of investigation that he took and how he finally conceded that Christianity was true and Islam was false. https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Allah-Finding-Jesus-Christianity-ebook/dp/B07BB54FS5
I'm so glad you are at peace and are waiting on God for his direction. Can I recommend a book for your fiancé to read? It's called "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus," by Nabeel Qureshi. https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Allah-Finding-Jesus-Christianity-ebook/dp/B07BB54FS5
It's so good. I listened to the audio version and he shares his testimony about coming from Islam to Christianity. He goes step by step through how he came to his decisions after studying the Koran more closely.
I know your fiancé is kind of already walking away from Islam, but this book isn't just about the walking away. It's about why he believed Jesus was the Messiah and Son of God.
Hi!
I strongly recommend you this book, written by someone with a similar situation as yours: https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Allah-Finding-Jesus-Christianity-ebook/dp/B07BB54FS5
Christ bless you!
I'd like to recommend the book, "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus" by Nabeel Qureshi. He was a devote Muslim who wasn't seeking Christ at all, but he decide to debate a Christian and delved more deeply into the faith to refute Christianity. The book shows you all the steps he took and it's a fascinating read. Spoiler alert: he became a Christian. https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Allah-Finding-Jesus-Christianity-ebook/dp/B07BB54FS5
I recommend reading the book, "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus." It's the testimony of a former Muslim who became a Christian. In his book, he talks about specifics as far as why he started off believing Islam was true and then realized it wasn't. https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Allah-Finding-Jesus-Christianity-ebook/dp/B07BB54FS5
Also adding - one of his students has transcribed and published almost all of his lectures from 1963-1969. Here’s the link to 1963 book, and you will find the others there as well. Highly recommend the printed versions - I have so many highlights and notes on them!
The Awakening: 1963 Lectures https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07T3D4CX7/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_1ZB1ZVGAE06N64GCAWB9
That's wonderful! Can I suggest an amazing book? It's called, "Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity." It's one of those books that is hard to put down. It's a true story of a man's journey into faith.
https://www.amazon.com/Seeking-Allah-Finding-Jesus-Christianity-ebook/dp/B07BB54FS5
One book that helped me with a lot of the issues you are struggling with that caused me to drink was, "The Four Agreements" by Don Miguel Ruiz.
This book is incredibly popular.. check it out.. matter of fact I'm going to re-read it.
I was exposed to Stoicism through undergrad philosophy courses. I think I only every read secondary sources, and I think that works just fine for Stoicism. It's pretty simple at it's core.
This looks good with a bunch of ratings: The Little Book of Stoicism: Timeless Wisdom to Gain Resilience, Confidence, and Calmness https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MY2VFQD/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apan_glt_7TEFQZGY3TGTR6Q59MQP
Thanks for this, the post before about Mann was good too.
I've always liked this book on Stoicism - https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Good-Life-Ancient-Stoic-ebook/dp/B0040JHNQG
There is also Roy Scranton who writes about philosophy and the end of civilization.