Aotearoa Daily Kōrero 09/11/2023
Aotearoa Daily Kōrero 09/11/2023
Welcome to today’s daily kōrero!
Anyone can make the thread, first in first served. If you are here on a day and there’s no daily thread, feel free to create it!
Anyway, it’s just a chance to talk about your day, what you have planned, what you have done, etc.
So, how’s it going?
Thought for the day
I just started reading The Subtle Art of Not Giving A Fuck.
There are some nice insights in the book so far, but one that has really stuck out is:
"The desire for more positive experience is itself a negative experience. And, paradoxically, the acceptance of one’s negative experience is itself a positive experience."
Do you try to be happy?
I must re read that. A good book - even if only for a different perspective
Ooh, that's one I've been meaning to read for a while. Overall, how are you enjoying the book so far?
From the book:
I'm about 10% through, it is really good.
It really starts strong with an interesting anecdote about the poet Charles Bukowski.
I read it a while back. If I remember rightly, it has mixed reviews because it doesn't click with everyone. I remember it being an enjoyable and easy read so I say give it a go.
I like these lite philosophical questions you ask.
I think I tend more towards trying not to be unhappy.. Most of the things I do are driven negatively by a fear of chaos and proactive avoidance of stress, and positively by a desire to achieve and be organised. Happiness doesn't consciously factor in very often.
For most of my life I don't think I have been overly happy, but I've reached some decent depths of depression. Most of the time I'm 'just ok.'
I've been in some pretty dark places, so if I can be just ok, I'm happy with that. Oh hey, there you go. I guess I do try!
LOL
I tend to think big thoughts often, it is just the way I am. I could be far more esoteric; but I digress.
Early in my "adulthood" I was very depressed, I flirted with ideas of suicide often. Until one day; I had been ignoring my health and was sick, but still went out drinking and parting with some friends. I was always looking for external validation. Next morning I was walking home sick, with shit running down my leg, hungover in the freezing rain in clothes that were not suited to being in the rain. I decided at that point that I was going to end it when I got home....suffice to say, the walk home helped clear my head.
I realized that always trying to be happy and chasing happiness didn't work for me. From then on I was still depressed, but got better surprisingly quickly.
I was reading a book referencing a study a while back, the study gave everyone pagers, and throughout the day and asked them to rate their happiness. What they found is that while you get a brief blip when you dog dies or you win lotto, regardless of your demographic it's not long before you're back rating happiness at 7/10. Rich or poor, young or old, stressed or lazy: 7/10.
It may have even been this book I read it in 😆