The Lies We Tell Ourselves to Feel Good Will Not Work
How the truth can serve us better in the end
"In the end, everything will be okay. If it's not okay, it's not yet the end. ~Fernando Sabino, translated from Portuguese."
I ran 2 miles today. To some people, that might sound like a huge challenge. To others, it's simply a warm-up exercise for a long-distance haul and is no big whoop.
Though I've run a few marathons in my days, I no longer run — I'm a big walker now. Today's run was something of a challenge and a bit of a stretch for me in the summer heat.
I set the goal, attained it, and feel proud of myself. Running is as much mental stamina as physical. I knew once I reached my 2-mile mark, it would be over. The trial would end. That’s what kept me going.
The ancient stoics believed in putting ourselves regularly into physically challenging and uncomfortable situations. The practice was designed to prepare us for those seasons of hardship and uncertainty.
It seems another recession is looming on our horizon. Many businesses are feeling the effects already. I've been with my company long enough, and I've been through it a few times. Again, it's not what we want, but it will end—the same as the pandemic.
