“People look for retreats for themselves, in the country, by the coast, or in the hills.. there is nowhere that a person can find a more peaceful and trouble-free retreat than in his own mind. So constantly give yourself this retreat, and renew yourself.” – Marcus Aurelius
Reflection
This week I found myself reflecting a lot on the concept of joy, especially an unforgettable interview that I watched a couple of months ago between Chude Jideonwo and Ngozi on the Ngee show. Chude is the founder of Joy Inc, a teaching and media company that helps young people with the skills that they need to be resilient, happy and flourishing members of society.
Three quotes in particular from the episode stuck with me and this week I wanted to share them with you below.
“Much of human suffering comes from the illusion that impermanent things are permanent.”
If you outsource your happiness to other people, you ultimately outsource your unhappiness to them. It is unsustainable to be responsible for someone else’s joy or expect someone else to make you happy.
We are not in control of the world but we are in control of our reactions. We ascribe meanings to our experiences.
I can’t do justice to the interview so I would recommend that you watch it yourself and also subscribe to Chude’s Daily Vulnerable newsletter. It’s genuinely one of the things I’m thankful for this year!
Articles
New York Times: How To Be More Mindful At Work
Podcasts
Bookversations: When Breath Becomes Air – What Makes Life Meaningful?
Amaliah Voices: Overrated // Underrated 5
Oprah’s Super Soul Conversations: Mindfulness 101 with John Kabat-Zinn
The Roommates Podcast: Making Your Dreams a Reality with Hasan Minhaj
Books
The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
Social Media
I have long been a fan of Hasan Minhaj and his new weekly show on Netflix ‘Patriot Act’ does not disappoint! It’s humorous but highly informative – definitely not one to miss.
Excited About…
Recording new episodes of Bookversations next weekend In sha Allah
“Much of human suffering comes from the illusion that impermanent things are permanent.”
Whew. Damn. And the funny thing is..I don’t think this’ll ever change. Pain can be so all-consuming. In the back of my head I’m always thinking (this is temporary…this is temporary) but in the moment the pain is very much all one can think about, until it’s done. Then there’s just the aftertaste.
Don’t know what I’m rambling about. But this was a great post. Can’t wait to check out the interview.
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So true! Knowing about it doesn’t always change the way we experience the pain but it helps sometimes. Aww hope you enjoy the interview xx
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