pam on Nostr: I started this year with a footprint on personal empowerment. I couldn't help but ...
I started this year with a footprint on personal empowerment. I couldn't help but notice how different these philosophical ideas are next to each other, but as a whole, it's a nice balance.
Buddhist Teachings (Thích Nhất Hạnh, Dalai Lama) - ego and attachment to desires causes suffering. True happiness comes from selflessness.
My take - I love this, and agree entirely, but love yourself first, so that you can be whole as you love others.
Napoleon Hill (Think and Grow Rich) - tap into your inner ego. Align purpose with actions.
My take - Over the years I’ve realised that good intention is more important than anything else.
Marcus Aurelius (Stoicism) - accept what we cannot control, and strengthen resilience when facing challenges. Virtue and rationality are core Stoic principles.
My take - I’ve grown to appreciate the wisdom of emotional detachment. It’s not about suppressing love or your deepest desires and drive but ensuring you don’t succumb to emotional prison that carries destructive emotions like anxiety, fear, and insecurity - as it can rule you and ruin your relationship with those around you.
The Secret (Law of Attraction) - visualise and live in a positive bubble with gratitude, till it becomes real.
My take - manifestation is great BUT those who manifest without reality check can be imposing, manipulative and egoistic.
Rhonda Byrne, in The Secret - our thoughts shape our reality
My Take - it leans towards the mystical part of manifestation, not my cup of tea.
Prayer (Christianity) - manifestation with a reality check (God’s will is the arch)
Reality transurfing - let the universe decide. Tweak your thoughts and intentions so that you can shift your energy and awareness to align with parallel realities
My take : I love the energy and universe concept, but I also believe you determine your own destiny.
Gabby Bernstein - don’t trust the universe. Trust faith, fate and divine energy
My take : I love the romantic notion of fate, but not one out of despondency. And I also deeply believe that our actions and choices shape our destiny, and this is how your soul’s call to greatness is defined.
Faith-Based Self-Help (e.g., Zig Ziglar, Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking) - trust in faith and miracles without tangible evidence.
My take : I am my father’s daughter and believe in the strength of faith especially as it provides a sense of purpose and resilience during challenging times. But faith also changes the structure of your brain so I am more realistic than mythical about it.
Tony Robbins - you decide and act on it.
My take : makes me want to run a marathon after listening to it.
David Goggins - you are 100% responsible for your life.
My take : Absolutely. But it comes with the understanding that everyone has different levels of challenges.
Jocko Willink (Discipline Equals Freedom) - rigid discipline for daily structure and self control is non-negotiable.
My take : this is my 6am - 8am motivation for pilates and sunrise walks.
Eckhart Tolle (The power of now) - live in the present, discard ego’s obsession over past or future
My take : agreed, but reflection and striving makes you whole.
Marie Kondo (The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up) - keep what “sparks joy” .
My take : Agreed. We all should definitely declutter life every now and then - remove noise or ambivalence that drains us and focus on the signal
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REMT - Albert Ellis) - logical thinking improves emotional responses.
My take : I love this. It sets the stage for modern concepts of “reframing” and “mindfulness”
Atomic Habits (James Clear) - on small, incremental improvements.
My take : I find this to be most helpful when you go through an extreme period of pain and you find it hard to carry on and so you start with small shifts until you gradually see yourself getting better.
Overall these books have similar goals - empowering yourself, strengthening your mind, resilience, growth. It depends on what you need when, for example :
self awareness & compassion - Buddhist teaching, stoicism
moments of crisis - Atomic habits, stoicism
long-term goals - think and grow rich, Tony Robbins
clarity and balance - Marie Kondo
positive mind - faith based, the secret
discipline - jocko
spirituality - Gabby Bernstein, prayer
relationship & teamwork - REBT
For all other times, a balance of these philosophies can be pretty powerful (but with a reality check)
Buddhist Teachings (Thích Nhất Hạnh, Dalai Lama) - ego and attachment to desires causes suffering. True happiness comes from selflessness.
My take - I love this, and agree entirely, but love yourself first, so that you can be whole as you love others.
Napoleon Hill (Think and Grow Rich) - tap into your inner ego. Align purpose with actions.
My take - Over the years I’ve realised that good intention is more important than anything else.
Marcus Aurelius (Stoicism) - accept what we cannot control, and strengthen resilience when facing challenges. Virtue and rationality are core Stoic principles.
My take - I’ve grown to appreciate the wisdom of emotional detachment. It’s not about suppressing love or your deepest desires and drive but ensuring you don’t succumb to emotional prison that carries destructive emotions like anxiety, fear, and insecurity - as it can rule you and ruin your relationship with those around you.
The Secret (Law of Attraction) - visualise and live in a positive bubble with gratitude, till it becomes real.
My take - manifestation is great BUT those who manifest without reality check can be imposing, manipulative and egoistic.
Rhonda Byrne, in The Secret - our thoughts shape our reality
My Take - it leans towards the mystical part of manifestation, not my cup of tea.
Prayer (Christianity) - manifestation with a reality check (God’s will is the arch)
Reality transurfing - let the universe decide. Tweak your thoughts and intentions so that you can shift your energy and awareness to align with parallel realities
My take : I love the energy and universe concept, but I also believe you determine your own destiny.
Gabby Bernstein - don’t trust the universe. Trust faith, fate and divine energy
My take : I love the romantic notion of fate, but not one out of despondency. And I also deeply believe that our actions and choices shape our destiny, and this is how your soul’s call to greatness is defined.
Faith-Based Self-Help (e.g., Zig Ziglar, Norman Vincent Peale, The Power of Positive Thinking) - trust in faith and miracles without tangible evidence.
My take : I am my father’s daughter and believe in the strength of faith especially as it provides a sense of purpose and resilience during challenging times. But faith also changes the structure of your brain so I am more realistic than mythical about it.
Tony Robbins - you decide and act on it.
My take : makes me want to run a marathon after listening to it.
David Goggins - you are 100% responsible for your life.
My take : Absolutely. But it comes with the understanding that everyone has different levels of challenges.
Jocko Willink (Discipline Equals Freedom) - rigid discipline for daily structure and self control is non-negotiable.
My take : this is my 6am - 8am motivation for pilates and sunrise walks.
Eckhart Tolle (The power of now) - live in the present, discard ego’s obsession over past or future
My take : agreed, but reflection and striving makes you whole.
Marie Kondo (The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up) - keep what “sparks joy” .
My take : Agreed. We all should definitely declutter life every now and then - remove noise or ambivalence that drains us and focus on the signal
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REMT - Albert Ellis) - logical thinking improves emotional responses.
My take : I love this. It sets the stage for modern concepts of “reframing” and “mindfulness”
Atomic Habits (James Clear) - on small, incremental improvements.
My take : I find this to be most helpful when you go through an extreme period of pain and you find it hard to carry on and so you start with small shifts until you gradually see yourself getting better.
Overall these books have similar goals - empowering yourself, strengthening your mind, resilience, growth. It depends on what you need when, for example :
self awareness & compassion - Buddhist teaching, stoicism
moments of crisis - Atomic habits, stoicism
long-term goals - think and grow rich, Tony Robbins
clarity and balance - Marie Kondo
positive mind - faith based, the secret
discipline - jocko
spirituality - Gabby Bernstein, prayer
relationship & teamwork - REBT
For all other times, a balance of these philosophies can be pretty powerful (but with a reality check)