Virtue through Practice
Sweet Bites for December 13, 2024
Hi all,
Welcome to another edition of Sweet Bites, Mind Candy’s bite-sized newsletter with thought-provoking finds to send you into the weekend with.
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🦉 Wisdom
“Rather than waiting until we are happy to enjoy the small things, we should go and do the small things that make us happy.”
Sheryl Sandberg/Adam Grant
Source: Option B
💭 Reflection for the Weekend
We are often thrown from happiness when we do not expect it to end and then it abruptly does.
We like to project our current state, positive or negative, into the future.
When we’re in a negative mood, we catastrophize and project that negativity into future experiences. When we’re positive, we try not to imagine it will end and instead think it will continue.
To have continuous happiness, however, requires that we find a balance between these two extremes. Life is filled with ups and downs, positives and negatives, and they change moment by moment.
When positive, we should remind ourselves that anything can happen, and that if it does, it may diminish our happiness slightly. Then when it does occur, we’re not so easily thrown from happiness, but rather, accept the events as they come.
When negative, we should remind ourselves that with time, this too shall pass and we will once again find something that brings about happiness for us.
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Here’s something to reflect on over the weekend from Oliver Burkeman in his book, The Antidote:
“Trying to see things in an exclusively positive light is an attitude that requires constant, effortful replenishment. Should your efforts falter or prove insufficient when confronted by some unexpected shock, you'll sink back down into - possibly deeper - gloom.”
📚 This Week’s Monday Meditation
✏️ This Week’s Wednesday Wisdom
📰 Article I am Re-Reading and Read this Week
I am rereading On The Happy Life by
based upon Seneca’s keys to happiness.I also read What a baker from ancient Pompeii can teach us about happiness which I found really interesting.
Studies of happiness seem to become more popular during periods of high societal stress. It is perhaps no coincidence that the longest-running study of happiness, administered by Harvard University, originated during the Great Depression. In 1938, researchers measured physical and mental health of 268 then-sophomores and, for 80 years, tracked these men and some of their descendants.
Their main finding? “Close relationships, more than money or fame … keep people happy throughout their lives.” This includes both a happy marriage and family, and a close community of supportive friends. Importantly, the relationships highlighted in the study are those based on love, care and equality, rather than abuse and exploitation.
📖 Book Worth a Read
How to Flourish by Aristotle
This is part of Princeton University Press’ ancient wisdom for modern readers series which I highly recommend.
In this installment, Susan Meyer translates and summarizes Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics.
“So the virtues don't develop in us by nature, and they are not contrary to our nature either. We are naturally open to acquiring them, but it is by practicing that we reach our full development.”
You can also check out her interview with Ryan Holiday on The Daily Stoic podcast.
🎁 A Guide to Gift Giving
A few years ago, I wrote an article on how to receive and give gifts based upon Seneca’s advice. If you’re struggling to figure out what to get someone or how to receive a gift from someone this holiday season, check it out and learn how to give and receive gifts like a Stoic.
🛠️ Tactics for Happiness
I enjoyed this video by
on how we can improve our happiness by Laurie Santos.
Until next time,
D.A. DiGerolamo
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