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Know yourself | |
February 07th, 2018 | |
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I picked up a little box of cards called Know Yourself [0]. | |
They're prompts for self-exploration or meditation. In all, there | |
are 60 cards that ask you questions to help guide you to a more | |
thorough understanding of self. | |
I'm a nerd for a lot of things, many of which are technical. | |
Hardware hacking, obscure programming languages, weird Japanese | |
flutes, you get the idea. Some of my nerdiness is geared toward | |
philosophy and religion, though. I have that Jesuit background, of | |
course, and a long history of reading and experimenting with other | |
options than Catholocism. Through all that jazz I've collected | |
ideas just like I collect old machines. Meditation techniques are | |
my aesthetic, as the kids say. | |
Anyway, here's one card to whet your whistle: | |
Front: | |
In your worst fears, what might your colleagues at work be | |
criticising you for behind your back? | |
Rear: | |
There is no point being squeamish here. Your fears are | |
correct. Anything you might suspect others might think is | |
already a reality. The point isn't to escape such imagined | |
gossip but to take gracious measures to deal with its almost | |
certain existence. | |
It's an interesting card and it put my mind on a few things. | |
I like to walk around and visit with people at work as a way of | |
taking a break, stretching my legs and my mind. I'm sure it annoys | |
some of the people in the office, though I don't think it's the | |
ones I visit. I'm sure there's people who have personal feelings | |
against the way I handle situations, or whom I rub the wrong way. | |
I don't always roll over and let people have their way, and that | |
can be seen as combative or antagonistic at times. | |
These aren't new thoughts and they don't bother me. I've accepted | |
that my purpose in my career isn't to be liked by all people. It's | |
to be effective, fulfilled as much as possible, to forge good | |
relationships where possible, and to provide for my family. I'm | |
okay with the rest as-is. | |
The other part that grabbed my attention was the bit on the | |
flipside of the card. I like the directness it takes and even the | |
way its worded. On the surface it seems like it's suggesting that | |
you find a way to fix or rectify the things at work which you may | |
be criticised for. Upon a closer look it carefully says only to | |
"take gracious measures to deal with" the criticism. | |
In stoic terms, this is a fantastic approach because it's not | |
focused on fixing something which is beyond your control (i.e., | |
making those around you like you), but instead with the elements | |
that are in your control (namely, your reactions). Think long and | |
hard about the criticisms others may have and consider them. Are | |
they valid? If so, I may want to change something I do, or I may | |
feel that my choice is more important than their reaction to it. | |
Maybe their criticism is invalid. Whichever situation may exist | |
the most important thing is to find peace with it and focus my | |
energy on only the things which are in my absolute control. | |
I like these cards. Maybe I'll do a written response to another | |
one some day. | |
[0] Know Yourself - Cards for Self-Exploration |