There's ALWAYS Work To Be Done

My wife and I started watching Squid Game recently. It's an intense show and neither of us knows a lick of Korean, so we've got to focus on reading the subtitles in order to stay on top of the story.

Last night, while the kids were upstairs in their room, we decided to sneak in an episode. However, the Stoic Gods decided that halfway through the episode would be a good time to present me with a challenge.

"Let's see if this guy with a history of getting frustrated when people interrupt his concentration is all theory, or if he's able to put his theories into practice!" - Stoic Gods Youngest came downstairs and, though he hasn't watched a single episode, knows more about the show's outcomes than we do. He decided that in the middle of my wife and I watching an episode would be a good time to demonstrate that knowledge along with a bit of curiosity as to what's happening. Mind you, he didn't want to watch it himself because he knows it's not age-appropriate and is pretty responsible and honest when it comes to the avoidance of mature content. He's curious (awesome) and also confident that he'll get a straight answer from us when he asks. Anyway, I normally get REALLY frustrated when my concentration is broken like that. But last night was different. I acknowledged that this was a challenge that I needed to address internally. I acknowledged that I was in a house with 4 occupants. I was in a common area that is off limits to no-one. I acknowledged that life happens around me and that we all have different priorities. Given that others began talking and conversing around me, it seemed as though they were prioritizing connection with each other while I was prioritizing the consumption of the show. As each frustrating thought popped into my head, I asked myself the question, "Is this thought helpful?" Answer: Of course not! I made it through my son and wife talking during the last half of the episode without contributing to the unnecessary creation of a dramatic scene in the house. I'm pleased at the way I handled the situation, but realize that I can do even better. Being the kind of person who can override the default response is something that I aspire to do sooner and with more frequency. Yesterday was not perfect, but I can hold it as a new baseline until the next opportunity comes up to improve. I still need work. That's what a journey toward self-mastery is all about. There will ALWAYS be something that "needs work". What's the point of living otherwise? To think that there's nothing we need to work on would be arrogant. And if one is arrogant, then one inherently needs work. 1% improvements every day. Compound Interest. Double-up evey 70-days. #2Xin70 #StoicAdvice