Every other Friday, I provide an update on my exercise goals. In between, I’ll be writing about mental fitness…
Zen And The Art Of Mind Maintenance
I’m a fan of motorcycles and motorcycle racing. Few experiences are more exhilarating than taking a turn at speed. Cornering is a form of art. Lean baby, lean.
Some years ago, I picked up this motorcycle model:
We had friends over recently and one of their kids broke it. It was beyond repair, so I tossed it. I was a little angry, but let it go.
This week, I was cleaning off the bookshelf and found the display case that the model used to reside in. Here is the base:
Oh sh*t!
This was a model of Nicky Hayden’s motorcycle. The Kentucky Kid. The late Nicky Hayden. Sadly, Nicky died after a bicycle accident last year. I became more curious about the model. I went online and learned that it was worth much more than I had bought it for. Now, I was angry all over again. That kid had broken something valuable. Grrrrrr…
But then I started to think about the situation:
- The child didn’t break the model on purpose. It was an accident.
- Even if the model was worth $1,000, I don’t need the money. And it was just another “thing” taking up space in my already cluttered home.
- Much more than anything else, the only reason the model was worth anything is because the guy who piloted the actual motorcycle was dead. He was young and a good guy.
Stop complaining.
No Complaints
I can’t just write something like I did on Monday and not take action. You’re not allowed to whine if you’re not willing to make changes. One of my own actions is this:
Instead of complaining when something bad happens, I’ll turn the situation into something positive.
I first learned of the “no complaining” experiment from Tim Ferriss. Reading I’ve done since (much of it based on Stoicism) backs up the benefits of this practice.
I like to complain as evidenced by my past rants. Maybe I’ll still write one every once in a while as a light-hearted way to blow off steam, but I’m going to work at stopping the real complaining. I’ll try to see the positive in a situation instead of focusing on the negative.
This Week In Gratitude
And, I really have nothing to complain about. Life is good.
This week, I chaperoned a field trip to a museum with Older Daughter’s class:
We also went to a student art show. A middle schooler painted a skateboard deck (awesome work Eva!):
At Home Depot, I noticed a bunch of battery powered lawnmowers. The change from dinosaur juice to lithium-ion power is picking up steam. Errrr, electrons. The world will be a better place powered by batteries:
Finally, Mrs. 1500 loves to cook and she’s wonderful at it. This is great since I don’t enjoy cooking and am no good at it. Last week, she made these apple pancakes, one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had. And let me tell you, I love breakfast:
Life is great.
Last year, I read William Irvine’s book, A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy. This was a slow starter, but after the first couple chapters, I really got into it. The section on negative visualization was powerful and it has helped me with being more positive. If you’re interested in this topic and haven’t read it already, check it out!
Also, my condolences for your poor, broken down motorcycle model.
Thank you for the book recommendation! So many books, so little time…
i own that book. good to know the first couple of chapters are slow because i gave up on it. i’ll have to revisit.
freddy smidlap recently posted…Lessons Learned from our 1st 6 Months Selling on eBay
The first couple chapters are basically putting Stoicism into historical perspective. I’m a history geek so I enjoyed them, but they are totally not necessary if you just want to get to the meat of the book – how to work Stoicism into your everyday life. Definitely revisit if you can.
We have a battery powered lawnmower. Best. Purchase. …Last Year 😉 Plan to get the brand’s snow blower this fall after our corded snow blower crapped out on us.
Those apple pancakes look amazing! I’ve been meaning to find other pancake recipes after our Finnish Pancake Fiasco of 2017. :-/
Finnish Pancake Fiasco! Hilarious! Did you write about that?
And yeah, electric motors >>> gas engines.
Those apple pancakes look amazing! Certainly, something to be thankful for. I cook, but my wife is better at it too. Maybe you could rant about all the good things in your life? Would that still be a rant?
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RIP slick Honda model… and Hayden. Such a sad story; you’d think Italian drivers would be more used to cyclists among them.
I’ve tried to cultivate the “no complaints” mindset. Just about anything rolls off my back… except when I’m driving. If someone’s not keeping up with traffic (let alone passing) in the left lane, if the first driver at a newly-green light is playing on a cell phone instead of hitting the gas — it is inordinately frustrating. I like to tell myself I’m annoyed at others’ lack of consideration, but who knows. Maybe I should spend some time on a sofa musing at a therapist.
Instead I’ve tried to structure my life around not driving. Possibly I’m avoiding the problem rather than addressing it, but hey, whatever works.
Driving drives me nut too. To add to yours:
People who won’t make a right on red.
People who won’t pull into the intersection to make a left-turn (I was stuck behind someone for 3 light changes recently because there was never an opening).
People who come to almost a stop when turning.
And there I go with the complaining! Crap! 🙂 Can we get a 2 for 1 discount at the therapist? Or maybe, we should stick to bikes. Cheaper and better for us on all counts!
I’ve been reading this book every day: https://www.amazon.com/Daily-Stoic-Meditations-Perseverance-translations-ebook/dp/B01KAFIQE6 and it’s been pretty helpful, I’m trying to be better about focusing on what I can control and not what I can’t. Still, I have to admit, it’s a challenge! And yes to no complaining unless you are actively doing SOMETHING to try and change your situation, behavior, or perspective!
Tonya@Budget and the Beach recently posted…How to be Smart About Student Loans
Someone else just recommended that book yesterday. I just put a hold on it at the library.
All of these books related to Stoicism always have big waits at the library. I’ve been waiting for one for 4 months! I’m thinking that it doesn’t help that I happen to live in the same area as MMM…
It’s really important to pause from focusing on what you want and be thankful for what you have.
Thanks for the reminder.
I don’t do this nearly enough.
Today, I’m thankful that it’s Friday and I get to spend a relaxing (for a change) weekend with my wife and two boys.
Jason@WinningPersonalFinance recently posted…Why Households Need To Earn $30,000 A Year To Live A Middle Class Lifestyle Today
Carl, that sucks man. TBH, it’s not the dollar value (although it’s validating that others would pay so dearly), it is the loss of something that was personal to your self. To be full full disclosure, I saw the Ducati and read a bit of the article with memories of my CBR600 racing in the background of my mind. Part of me wants to reclaim those glory days one last time maybe for a few years, but another part realizes how futile (and potentially dangerous) it ultimately is. I subjected myself to suicidal speeds and experiences for about 10 years in my 20’s and early 30’s – shouldn’t that be enough?
Motorcycles sure are fun, right? In the age of distracted driving, there is a lot to worry about though. I still ride, but I try to do it at times of low traffic and I wear full body armor.
that’s a sweet deck paint job. done by a little kid? our last dog taught me tremendous patience and the ability to let things go. he was a 5 year old boxer when we got him and full of bad ideas like bursting out the front door and running willy nilly through traffic and not coming back to me at the park. he was so happy and lovable though that we just stopped getting mad and took a very relaxed long view. things have bothered us a lot less since we had that knucklehead. now we don’t care about anything. doh!
freddy smidlap recently posted…Lessons Learned from our 1st 6 Months Selling on eBay
Wow, the pancakes look great! Miam!
I knew there was electric cable lawn mower, but never saw battery lawn mower so far. This is really interesting. It sounds like a great idea.
Sorry about the broken motorcycle model.
The Poor Swiss recently posted…7 tips to find cheaper Kindle ebooks
I once had a doctor tell me that “if this xray is accurate you will be dead in 6 weeks.” The xray was not completely accurate but I was in surgery that night giving up another one of my organs to cancer. I get up every morning thankful that I have another day to spend with the people that are important to me doing the things I love.
I just cant spend energy on negative things. Take a deep breath and move on.
I often have to tell myself to stop, take a breath, and remember that whatever I’m upset about is likely no big deal in the grand scheme of life. It is so easy for your default to be anger/frustration/sadness/etc. It is definitely a big challenge to shift your mindset to default to more positive thoughts. A worthwhile goal though.