1 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,760 Speaker 1: What Up? I Am Dramas and this is the Street 2 00:00:19,000 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 1: Stoic Podcast, bringing you your daily dose of timeless Stoic 3 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:27,800 Speaker 1: philosophy remixed for the hip hop generation. We're combining philosophy 4 00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:30,200 Speaker 1: and lyrics and quotes from some of the greatest to 5 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:34,160 Speaker 1: ever grace a microphone. Now, with that in mind, let's 6 00:00:34,240 --> 00:00:44,080 Speaker 1: get things started with your daily shot of inspiration. Now 7 00:00:44,120 --> 00:00:47,160 Speaker 1: today we'll be focusing on the Stoic principle of being 8 00:00:47,520 --> 00:00:51,839 Speaker 1: grateful right, having gratitude in our lives. And this is 9 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:55,680 Speaker 1: actually considered one of the fundamentals of Stoicism as a whole, 10 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:59,160 Speaker 1: one of the most important principles as a whole, and 11 00:00:59,240 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: to me kind of starting when it comes to the 12 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:04,920 Speaker 1: idea of music and lyrics that speak to this, you know, 13 00:01:05,240 --> 00:01:07,200 Speaker 1: I really want to want to focus on this song 14 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:09,680 Speaker 1: from Common. The song is Be. It has a personal 15 00:01:09,720 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 1: connection to me that that really resonates, especially this lyric, 16 00:01:12,520 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: and we'll get into that. The part of it that 17 00:01:14,480 --> 00:01:17,200 Speaker 1: I pulled from the song is quote never looking back 18 00:01:17,640 --> 00:01:20,360 Speaker 1: or too far in front of me. The present is 19 00:01:20,400 --> 00:01:24,360 Speaker 1: a gift and I just want to be and I 20 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 1: love that so much, especially the last line there. The 21 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:33,319 Speaker 1: present is a gift, and I just want to be right, Like, 22 00:01:33,360 --> 00:01:37,520 Speaker 1: the gift of life doesn't lie in the past or 23 00:01:37,560 --> 00:01:40,600 Speaker 1: the things that we're expecting to happen in the future. 24 00:01:41,040 --> 00:01:43,759 Speaker 1: It lies in the present moment, right It's the things 25 00:01:43,800 --> 00:01:45,880 Speaker 1: that we can see, that we can touch, that we 26 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: can smell, that we can truly experience right now. We 27 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:52,680 Speaker 1: can't change the past, and we can't truly predict the future, 28 00:01:52,720 --> 00:01:56,120 Speaker 1: you know. The only guarantee that we truly have right 29 00:01:56,120 --> 00:01:58,800 Speaker 1: now is this current moment, you know, And when you 30 00:01:58,840 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 1: recognize how u clear moments passes by and how they're fleeting, 31 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:05,440 Speaker 1: you really have to make it a point to find 32 00:02:05,480 --> 00:02:08,280 Speaker 1: that presence that common is talking about, right, the idea 33 00:02:08,520 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 1: of just wanting to be, of being happy, experiencing that 34 00:02:11,960 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 1: the present moment, and not allowing all of the other 35 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,079 Speaker 1: noise to kind of interfere and block you from being 36 00:02:17,120 --> 00:02:20,320 Speaker 1: able to just truly experience life. And this relates to 37 00:02:20,440 --> 00:02:23,040 Speaker 1: uh stoic quote from Marcus Aureally is you know, and 38 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:26,920 Speaker 1: he says, dwell on the beauty of life, watch the 39 00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:32,040 Speaker 1: stars and see yourself running with them, And obviously it's 40 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:34,480 Speaker 1: incredibly powerful, and he's sort of speaking to the idea 41 00:02:34,639 --> 00:02:37,639 Speaker 1: of really just focusing on all the beauty around him, right, 42 00:02:37,760 --> 00:02:41,040 Speaker 1: the stars, and just being present to that right, something 43 00:02:41,080 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 1: that we all take for granted each and every night, 44 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 1: but when you get caught up by it, sometimes if 45 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: you're lucky enough to be somewhere where you can truly 46 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 1: see the stars, that it's beautiful. It's it takes your 47 00:02:50,400 --> 00:02:52,720 Speaker 1: breath away, you know, And it's something that we all 48 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:55,440 Speaker 1: take for granted because of how quickly life is passing 49 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:57,840 Speaker 1: us by and how quickly we're trying to move on 50 00:02:57,919 --> 00:03:01,359 Speaker 1: to the next thing. Right, we all often find it 51 00:03:01,560 --> 00:03:05,160 Speaker 1: so easy to see what's wrong that we end up 52 00:03:05,200 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 1: blinding ourselves to all that is right, you know. And 53 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:10,320 Speaker 1: I'm not trying to say that there aren't terrible things 54 00:03:10,400 --> 00:03:13,239 Speaker 1: that are happening in the world, but there are also 55 00:03:13,560 --> 00:03:16,520 Speaker 1: so many beautiful things happening as well, you know. And 56 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,120 Speaker 1: when you begin to focus on what's currently in front 57 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,600 Speaker 1: of you and stop worrying about what happened before or 58 00:03:23,840 --> 00:03:26,359 Speaker 1: or what may happen next, you know, you will allow 59 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:29,360 Speaker 1: your mind to get some much needed rest, and you 60 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:32,280 Speaker 1: quiet that noise a little bit when you're not looking 61 00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,240 Speaker 1: for something other than what you currently have. You know, 62 00:03:35,280 --> 00:03:37,840 Speaker 1: when you're able to really just kind of take a 63 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:42,080 Speaker 1: second to to look around and recognize like the perfection 64 00:03:42,120 --> 00:03:45,520 Speaker 1: of life that is happening all around you. And for me, 65 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: this has been something that I've really kind of come 66 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:51,040 Speaker 1: to terms with and and begun to appreciate over the 67 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,120 Speaker 1: course of this last year. You know, how I relate 68 00:03:53,160 --> 00:03:56,480 Speaker 1: to this principle for me comes from an experience that 69 00:03:56,520 --> 00:03:58,840 Speaker 1: I had when I went away on a personal growth 70 00:03:58,880 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 1: retreat called the hof Process. And the one thing that 71 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,720 Speaker 1: really stuck with me that that I've kind of made 72 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:07,000 Speaker 1: my mantra. You know, I remember writing it in a 73 00:04:07,080 --> 00:04:09,600 Speaker 1: notebook as soon as I got back, and it was 74 00:04:09,640 --> 00:04:14,280 Speaker 1: two simple words, just be. And it sounds, you know, 75 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 1: overly simple, and and it doesn't sound like something that 76 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:20,080 Speaker 1: might just you know, easily stick for us, right, It 77 00:04:20,120 --> 00:04:22,480 Speaker 1: might be something you can easily kind of throw away 78 00:04:22,560 --> 00:04:24,200 Speaker 1: as like, yeah, it's easy for you to say, but 79 00:04:24,320 --> 00:04:26,880 Speaker 1: the reality is, you know, we all have the ability 80 00:04:26,960 --> 00:04:31,000 Speaker 1: to experience life this way, and those two words just be. 81 00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,320 Speaker 1: For me, it's something I remind myself, you know, when 82 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,720 Speaker 1: I'm getting anxious about work, maybe right I'm expecting an 83 00:04:37,760 --> 00:04:40,240 Speaker 1: email or an answer on something, you know, I have 84 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:43,200 Speaker 1: to remind myself of those two words and and say 85 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:47,480 Speaker 1: just be right, allow whatever is going to happen to happen, right, 86 00:04:47,560 --> 00:04:49,640 Speaker 1: and just be grateful for this present moment that you 87 00:04:49,680 --> 00:04:52,760 Speaker 1: get to have right now. It's even allowed me to 88 00:04:52,800 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 1: have more presents in my everyday life. Right when I'm 89 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:58,600 Speaker 1: I'm walking my dog, and there'll be so many times 90 00:04:58,640 --> 00:04:59,920 Speaker 1: where I just decided, you know what, I'm gonna take 91 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:02,120 Speaker 1: out my my air pods and I'm just going to 92 00:05:02,680 --> 00:05:05,680 Speaker 1: experience the sounds of the street and all that's happening 93 00:05:05,720 --> 00:05:08,400 Speaker 1: around me and truly just taking you know, the things 94 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:10,039 Speaker 1: that I take for granted every day. You know, my 95 00:05:10,080 --> 00:05:12,919 Speaker 1: neighborhood that I take for granted every day, right, but 96 00:05:13,040 --> 00:05:15,599 Speaker 1: just taking that that half an hour to just be 97 00:05:15,640 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 1: truly president in my body and in my life and 98 00:05:17,920 --> 00:05:20,840 Speaker 1: and all that's happening. And it really does bring a 99 00:05:20,839 --> 00:05:23,080 Speaker 1: sense of peace over me, you know, and it brings 100 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 1: a sense of gratitude over me. I'm reminded of of 101 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 1: all the things that I've done and what I've done 102 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:29,839 Speaker 1: up to this point that has put me in a 103 00:05:29,880 --> 00:05:32,599 Speaker 1: position to be able to enjoy this walk with my 104 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: dog as as simple as that sounds, right, that's something 105 00:05:35,680 --> 00:05:38,520 Speaker 1: to be grateful for. The little things that truly matter 106 00:05:38,760 --> 00:05:40,880 Speaker 1: in this life are are really the things to be 107 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:44,160 Speaker 1: grateful for. And this concept of just being allows you 108 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 1: to really appreciate those things in the moment and make 109 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:50,600 Speaker 1: you know the most of your limited time that that 110 00:05:50,640 --> 00:05:53,840 Speaker 1: we all inevitably have here on this earth. And when 111 00:05:53,839 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 1: I say getting present and just being, I'm not saying 112 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:00,919 Speaker 1: forget about your past and stop planning anything for the future. 113 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:02,560 Speaker 1: You know, it's all gonna just work out if you 114 00:06:02,600 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: sit at home and like, you know, enjoy the birds 115 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:08,120 Speaker 1: chirping every morning. I'm saying, bring yourself to the awareness 116 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: of appreciating everything as it's happening. Of course, set your goals, 117 00:06:12,800 --> 00:06:15,800 Speaker 1: have a plan in place for your life and where 118 00:06:15,800 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: you would like to go and how you want things 119 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,200 Speaker 1: to play out. But then it's also surrendering a little 120 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:23,600 Speaker 1: bit right now that you kind of made this idea 121 00:06:23,600 --> 00:06:26,440 Speaker 1: and made these goals, allow life to to develop, and 122 00:06:26,680 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 1: allow yourself to appreciate the beauty of life and how 123 00:06:30,800 --> 00:06:34,320 Speaker 1: it develops in this indescribable way, you know, And that's 124 00:06:34,360 --> 00:06:36,320 Speaker 1: this idea of of just being. You know, you you 125 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,480 Speaker 1: control what you can control, and everything else you relinquished, right, 126 00:06:39,520 --> 00:06:42,680 Speaker 1: you don't obsess over things in the past. You can 127 00:06:42,720 --> 00:06:46,039 Speaker 1: be appreciative from memories and be grateful for them, but 128 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:48,800 Speaker 1: you don't allow them to rule your current life. Now, 129 00:06:48,839 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: with that in mind, you know, we've heard from the Stoics, 130 00:06:51,600 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: we've heard from Common. I wanna talk to you specifically 131 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:58,640 Speaker 1: about how you can make this your mantra for today. 132 00:06:58,800 --> 00:07:01,560 Speaker 1: But first let's take a break and we'll be right back. 133 00:07:11,320 --> 00:07:13,480 Speaker 1: All right, So we have heard from the rapper Common, 134 00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: we have heard from the stowar Marcus. A really is 135 00:07:16,600 --> 00:07:19,000 Speaker 1: let's talk about how you can make it your mantra 136 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:21,760 Speaker 1: for today. And of course we're talking about the idea 137 00:07:21,800 --> 00:07:25,400 Speaker 1: of gratitude and expanding upond that, you know, being able 138 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: to be present and appreciate the present moment that you 139 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,680 Speaker 1: currently are experiencing. And I want to kind of talk 140 00:07:31,720 --> 00:07:34,440 Speaker 1: about that and how you can apply it with another quote, 141 00:07:34,480 --> 00:07:37,040 Speaker 1: and it's from this movie called Spin, which terrible movie, 142 00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:39,440 Speaker 1: but this quote always stood out to me and with 143 00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:41,720 Speaker 1: something that I've always taken with me. And and the 144 00:07:41,800 --> 00:07:45,560 Speaker 1: quote is, you will never be this young, this cool, 145 00:07:46,120 --> 00:07:50,080 Speaker 1: this careless, or this care free ever again. And I 146 00:07:50,200 --> 00:07:54,080 Speaker 1: repeat it, you will never be this young, this cool, 147 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,760 Speaker 1: this careless or this care free ever again. And to 148 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 1: me it's a bit of a jarring quote. And I 149 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:04,840 Speaker 1: think that the the intention of it, right, because it 150 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:07,600 Speaker 1: reminds you do to keep in mind that that moments 151 00:08:07,640 --> 00:08:11,160 Speaker 1: are fleeting. You know, time is fleeting. Experiences they come 152 00:08:11,200 --> 00:08:14,640 Speaker 1: and go so quickly, right, and if you're not keen 153 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 1: to trying to be present to them and to try 154 00:08:16,960 --> 00:08:19,280 Speaker 1: and you know, squeeze out as much feeling from the 155 00:08:19,360 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 1: present moment as possible, they're going to quickly pass you by, right, 156 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:27,120 Speaker 1: And life goes so quickly. I love that idea of 157 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,600 Speaker 1: you're never going to be this young again. That's that's true. Right. 158 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: Each day that passes, we're getting a little bit older. Right. 159 00:08:32,760 --> 00:08:35,800 Speaker 1: Each day that passes, you know, it turns into weeks 160 00:08:35,800 --> 00:08:38,400 Speaker 1: and months and years, right, and our lives inevitably begin 161 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: to change. We have different responsibilities, right, and certain people 162 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:44,040 Speaker 1: maybe no longer a part of our lives. Right. Things 163 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:46,360 Speaker 1: just change that it will never be the same as 164 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:48,960 Speaker 1: it is in this current moment. That's why you have 165 00:08:49,040 --> 00:08:52,480 Speaker 1: to have the ultimate gratitude for life. Right now. I'm 166 00:08:52,520 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 1: not saying don't have goals and don't have a hunger 167 00:08:55,160 --> 00:08:58,160 Speaker 1: for for more than you currently have. But what I'm 168 00:08:58,200 --> 00:09:02,040 Speaker 1: saying is, don't have such a hunger for something else 169 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:05,760 Speaker 1: that you forget to appreciate all that you currently do have. Right, 170 00:09:05,920 --> 00:09:08,920 Speaker 1: that's the balance of it. Never allow your hunger for 171 00:09:09,040 --> 00:09:12,120 Speaker 1: growth or for more to make you sort of toss 172 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:14,679 Speaker 1: aside all of the current things and all the current 173 00:09:14,720 --> 00:09:17,680 Speaker 1: blessings that you currently have in your life. Take the 174 00:09:17,800 --> 00:09:21,400 Speaker 1: time to appreciate what is around you. And I think 175 00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: one actionable step that you can actually take in your 176 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:26,400 Speaker 1: life today, and I challenge you to to do it. 177 00:09:26,440 --> 00:09:29,160 Speaker 1: You know, it's something simple. Go for a walk, you know, 178 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:32,600 Speaker 1: without your headphones on and really just take in the 179 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:35,080 Speaker 1: scenery and the sounds of of life. You know, and 180 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 1: even if you don't want to go for a walk, 181 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 1: just sit outside if you can, and enjoy everything that 182 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:43,920 Speaker 1: is happening around you, you know, really take it all in. 183 00:09:44,559 --> 00:09:47,240 Speaker 1: The reality is it's a crazy concept where we're all 184 00:09:47,280 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 1: existing on like this floating ball in the middle of space. 185 00:09:50,480 --> 00:09:53,559 Speaker 1: Yet somehow, you know, it all works, right, Life itself 186 00:09:53,960 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 1: is just as a beautiful experience that is happening and 187 00:09:58,120 --> 00:09:59,800 Speaker 1: we're not really even sure how the hell at all 188 00:09:59,840 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 1: were works. Right, But each day it's somehow functions and 189 00:10:02,880 --> 00:10:06,640 Speaker 1: that is something to be appreciated, you know, ground yourself 190 00:10:06,760 --> 00:10:10,640 Speaker 1: in the beauty of the present moment and appreciate the 191 00:10:10,800 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 1: complicated yet perfect nature of life. Now, with that said, 192 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:18,720 Speaker 1: we'll see you next time for your daily shot of inspiration, 193 00:10:19,040 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 1: your daily dose of ancient Stoke philosophy mixed with hip 194 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:27,040 Speaker 1: hop lyrics and inspiration. And until then, I am Dramas 195 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:33,800 Speaker 1: and this is the Street Stoke Podcast. The Street Stoke 196 00:10:33,880 --> 00:10:37,880 Speaker 1: Podcast is a production of My Hearts Michael Pura podcast Network.