1 00:00:15,840 --> 00:00:18,400 Speaker 1: What Up? What Up? I am Dramas and this is 2 00:00:18,480 --> 00:00:23,079 Speaker 1: the Street Stoic Podcast, bringing you your daily dose of 3 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:28,840 Speaker 1: timeless stoic philosophy remixed for the hip hop generation. Now, 4 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: with that in mind, let's get things started with your 5 00:00:31,440 --> 00:00:41,040 Speaker 1: daily shot of inspiration. So today's principle that we're gonna 6 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:45,239 Speaker 1: be focusing around is the stoic virtue of being grateful, right, 7 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:48,680 Speaker 1: the idea of gratitude. And to me, a song that 8 00:00:49,000 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 1: comes to mind that I think encompasses this perfectly. It's 9 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:55,320 Speaker 1: by J Cole and it's called Love Yours, and the 10 00:00:55,800 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 1: line from it that I pulled he says, always gonna 11 00:00:58,760 --> 00:01:02,200 Speaker 1: be a bigger house somewhere, but feel me long as 12 00:01:02,240 --> 00:01:05,319 Speaker 1: the people on that motherfucker love you dearly. Always gonna 13 00:01:05,319 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 1: be a whip that's better than the one you got, 14 00:01:07,480 --> 00:01:10,360 Speaker 1: Always gonna be some clothes that's fresher than the ones 15 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:13,800 Speaker 1: you rock. Always gonna be a bit that's better out 16 00:01:13,840 --> 00:01:17,400 Speaker 1: there on the tours. But you ain't never gonna be happy, 17 00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:20,959 Speaker 1: So you love yours, And the hook of the record, 18 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,279 Speaker 1: he says, no such thing as a life that's better 19 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:29,200 Speaker 1: than yours. Love Yours. I call this whole concept that 20 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 1: we're talking about, because Carl is talking about basically, the 21 00:01:31,640 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 1: grass is always going to be greener on the other side, right, 22 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:36,440 Speaker 1: there could be a bigger house for you to strive 23 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 1: to want a nicer car, better clothing, you know, beautiful women, 24 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,160 Speaker 1: beautiful men, whatever you know you fancy out there, and 25 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:46,240 Speaker 1: there could always be something else out there for you 26 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:49,919 Speaker 1: to be chasing. And if you don't appreciate the things 27 00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:52,400 Speaker 1: or the people that you have in your life, the 28 00:01:52,560 --> 00:01:56,280 Speaker 1: chase will never stop. And this concept I've called it 29 00:01:56,320 --> 00:01:58,560 Speaker 1: and it's been thrown to me by my girl. She 30 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:02,200 Speaker 1: taught me this concept. She calls it the hungry ghost idea, right, 31 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:06,600 Speaker 1: And it's this idea of imagining like a ghost just constantly, 32 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: you know, indulging in food and and stuffing in space 33 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,560 Speaker 1: with food, only just continuously fall out of its stomach, right. 34 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:15,399 Speaker 1: And and that's kind of how we we oftentimes are 35 00:02:15,600 --> 00:02:18,160 Speaker 1: as human beings. We keep telling ourselves that we need this, 36 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,359 Speaker 1: we need that. I'll be happy when I have this, right. Oh, 37 00:02:21,400 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: I'm not happy right now because I don't have this 38 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 1: amount of money in the bank, right. And then that 39 00:02:26,040 --> 00:02:28,560 Speaker 1: day comes you have that amount of money in the 40 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 1: bank and you still don't feel any happier. Right, that's 41 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,720 Speaker 1: that hungry ghost concept. It never ends. There's always something 42 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:38,720 Speaker 1: you could be feeding yourself, but it never quite satisfies 43 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 1: that hunger until you do that internal work and understand 44 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:45,240 Speaker 1: the idea of gratitude. Now, let's kind of bring it 45 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:48,360 Speaker 1: full circle. And and here from one of the actual 46 00:02:48,400 --> 00:02:50,280 Speaker 1: stokes here and what they have to say on this, right, 47 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:54,240 Speaker 1: epicteteous to be exact. Now, he says, quote, he is 48 00:02:54,400 --> 00:02:58,679 Speaker 1: wise who doesn't grieve for the things he doesn't have, 49 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:03,799 Speaker 1: but rejoy voices for the things he does have. Right. 50 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:07,800 Speaker 1: He's talking about appreciating all that you have and focusing 51 00:03:07,840 --> 00:03:10,679 Speaker 1: your attention on all that you do have, rather than 52 00:03:10,960 --> 00:03:14,000 Speaker 1: placing your mind, your attention, and your energy on the 53 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,400 Speaker 1: things that you are lacking. Right. I mean we we, oftentimes, 54 00:03:17,480 --> 00:03:21,600 Speaker 1: you know, waste life being so concerned with what others 55 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:24,720 Speaker 1: have or the things that we think we want, that 56 00:03:24,800 --> 00:03:29,080 Speaker 1: we often forget to appreciate what is right in front 57 00:03:29,080 --> 00:03:31,840 Speaker 1: of us. Right. And and listen, I'm not above this. 58 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:33,680 Speaker 1: I don't sit here on some sort of pedestal and 59 00:03:33,720 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: say that, you know, I don't have moments where I'm 60 00:03:37,560 --> 00:03:40,800 Speaker 1: looking maybe at what somebody else has, or I am 61 00:03:40,840 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: trying to achieve a goal or obtain something, and it's 62 00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:46,160 Speaker 1: it's causing me to have a blind spot to not 63 00:03:46,200 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 1: appreciating all that I have, you know. But but this 64 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: is something that I constantly work at because the idea 65 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:55,080 Speaker 1: of gratitude is so incredibly important. And the reality is, 66 00:03:55,160 --> 00:03:57,320 Speaker 1: if you really break it down, you know, for the 67 00:03:57,360 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: majority of us, you know, and if you're you're listening 68 00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:02,960 Speaker 1: to this podcast, you are of a certain level of privilege, 69 00:04:03,040 --> 00:04:06,119 Speaker 1: right the majority of us. You know, we have something 70 00:04:06,520 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: or in a certain position or living a certain lifestyle 71 00:04:09,320 --> 00:04:12,040 Speaker 1: that that someone else out there right now is envying. 72 00:04:12,120 --> 00:04:14,400 Speaker 1: Right somebody else out there is probably looking at what 73 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 1: we're doing or what we have and wishing that they 74 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:21,640 Speaker 1: themselves could experience it. You know, it is all about perspective. 75 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:24,960 Speaker 1: And again, for me, how I relate to the still 76 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:28,039 Speaker 1: principle of gratitude, you know, like I've said, it's it's 77 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:30,960 Speaker 1: something that I have time and time again sort of 78 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: failed to appreciate all that I've done, or all that 79 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:37,560 Speaker 1: I've accomplished, or or all that I've been able to 80 00:04:37,600 --> 00:04:40,000 Speaker 1: accumulate in my life. You know, I'm the type of 81 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:43,280 Speaker 1: person who sometimes is driven to a fault. Right, I 82 00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:45,920 Speaker 1: achieve a goal or I get something that I've I've 83 00:04:45,920 --> 00:04:48,640 Speaker 1: worked so hard for and and rather than take the 84 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:52,680 Speaker 1: time to to truly appreciate it, I quickly just move 85 00:04:52,760 --> 00:04:55,360 Speaker 1: on to the next thing, right, And it's a never 86 00:04:55,520 --> 00:04:58,680 Speaker 1: ending battle of trying to just get the next thing, 87 00:04:58,960 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 1: and and to be quite honest, for a long time, 88 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: I felt, you know, incredibly unfulfilled, right, never never truly 89 00:05:05,560 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 1: being able to appreciate how far I had come, And 90 00:05:08,520 --> 00:05:11,200 Speaker 1: it was just having this hunger for something else, you know. 91 00:05:11,400 --> 00:05:13,800 Speaker 1: And when it comes to mental health, and when I 92 00:05:13,800 --> 00:05:16,520 Speaker 1: think about bouts of depression that I've personally dealt with, 93 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:21,040 Speaker 1: I realized that oftentimes those moments of depression come from 94 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 1: moments that I'm not truly feeling, you know, grateful, right 95 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 1: where I'm failing to feel the gratitude that I should 96 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:31,440 Speaker 1: have for for the life that I'm living, and even 97 00:05:31,520 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 1: in the hard times, the fact that I am still 98 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:37,320 Speaker 1: here breathing and have the opportunity to to do something 99 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:40,359 Speaker 1: else and the opportunity to you know, correct maybe the 100 00:05:40,400 --> 00:05:42,559 Speaker 1: things that I'm not so happy about, that right there 101 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:46,320 Speaker 1: is such a special privilege and something to be grateful for. 102 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:50,080 Speaker 1: And listen, I'm not saying that you should stop being 103 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,800 Speaker 1: driven or you should stop wanting more for yourself, But 104 00:05:53,880 --> 00:05:56,279 Speaker 1: what I'm saying is it should never come at the 105 00:05:56,320 --> 00:05:59,800 Speaker 1: expense of not enjoying the fruits of your labor, right. 106 00:06:00,040 --> 00:06:02,240 Speaker 1: And I think that's kind of the the balance that 107 00:06:02,320 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 1: we're all struggling to find, you know, and especially in 108 00:06:05,920 --> 00:06:08,760 Speaker 1: a society that that tells us there's a very specific 109 00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 1: way to live. Right, you have to drive this kind 110 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 1: of car, I have this kind of job. Right, you 111 00:06:12,400 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: have to have this thing that gives you certain bragging 112 00:06:15,080 --> 00:06:18,200 Speaker 1: rights over your friends or your family. Right. The reality is, 113 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:21,000 Speaker 1: you know, there is no right way to live life. 114 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,000 Speaker 1: We all have different things that make us happy and 115 00:06:24,040 --> 00:06:28,000 Speaker 1: different things that make us fulfilled in this life. And 116 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:30,159 Speaker 1: and that's what you have to be chasing after, is 117 00:06:30,160 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: the you know, the things that that truly bring happiness 118 00:06:32,960 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 1: to you. And those are gonna be evolving, and you 119 00:06:35,279 --> 00:06:38,799 Speaker 1: may want more of something you know inevitably along the line. 120 00:06:38,839 --> 00:06:41,120 Speaker 1: But but that doesn't mean you can't take the time 121 00:06:41,160 --> 00:06:43,600 Speaker 1: to appreciate your journey. And I think that that's kind 122 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:45,880 Speaker 1: of the crux of it as well, is it's okay 123 00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:49,120 Speaker 1: to have big, grandiose goals. It's okay to challenge yourself 124 00:06:49,160 --> 00:06:52,600 Speaker 1: to become better than you were yesterday, but you also 125 00:06:52,680 --> 00:06:56,400 Speaker 1: have to keep in mind and appreciate the journey along 126 00:06:56,440 --> 00:06:58,320 Speaker 1: the way and be grateful for the fact that you 127 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:00,560 Speaker 1: get to have this journey as well. And it's a 128 00:07:00,600 --> 00:07:05,000 Speaker 1: really difficult balance, but it is an incredibly necessary one. Now, 129 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:06,960 Speaker 1: with all of that in mind, I mean, we've heard 130 00:07:07,000 --> 00:07:09,159 Speaker 1: the words of J. Cole, We've heard the words of 131 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:13,040 Speaker 1: Epic Tidius. Now let's talk about how you can make 132 00:07:13,080 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 1: it your mantra for today. But first let's take a 133 00:07:16,480 --> 00:07:29,320 Speaker 1: quick break and then we'll beat that. Okay, So in 134 00:07:29,400 --> 00:07:33,720 Speaker 1: the discussion of of finding gratitude and practicing the ancient 135 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:37,440 Speaker 1: Stoke philosophy of being grateful, right, how do we apply 136 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: this to our everyday lives? How do you make it 137 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:44,080 Speaker 1: your mantra for today? And and for me? You know, 138 00:07:44,200 --> 00:07:46,680 Speaker 1: I'm gonna personally share with you certain things that have 139 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:50,040 Speaker 1: been very, very helpful for me, that are incredibly easy, 140 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: don't take much time. And one of those things is 141 00:07:52,880 --> 00:07:55,080 Speaker 1: when I'm in the shower, when I'm getting ready in 142 00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 1: the morning, I think to myself, what are three things 143 00:07:58,720 --> 00:08:02,520 Speaker 1: or three people I grateful for? And why. And I 144 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 1: sit there and I think to myself, I might talk 145 00:08:05,280 --> 00:08:08,000 Speaker 1: out loud to myself while I'm while I'm in the shower, 146 00:08:08,320 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 1: and I just really feel all of the emotions behind it. Right. 147 00:08:12,600 --> 00:08:15,200 Speaker 1: I sit there and I think about these people or 148 00:08:15,240 --> 00:08:18,360 Speaker 1: these things, or these accomplishments in my life until I 149 00:08:18,400 --> 00:08:20,680 Speaker 1: begin to feel the joy that they have brought me 150 00:08:20,760 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 1: in my life. And every day I I do three 151 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:26,800 Speaker 1: different things or three different people. And it sounds like 152 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:29,760 Speaker 1: a really small, you know, little thing that that wouldn't 153 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: make such a big change for you, But I promise 154 00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:34,160 Speaker 1: you it's something that sets the tone for your day. 155 00:08:34,200 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 1: It puts you in that good mood to just be 156 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: looking around at your everyday life and just realize how 157 00:08:39,800 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 1: incredible it is. And you can do this, you know, 158 00:08:42,679 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 1: in the morning. You can do this at night. Sometimes 159 00:08:44,640 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 1: when I'm having trouble falling asleep, I'll just lay in 160 00:08:47,200 --> 00:08:49,720 Speaker 1: bed and think about those three things, those three people, 161 00:08:49,760 --> 00:08:53,680 Speaker 1: and really truly feel the emotions behind it, and really 162 00:08:53,679 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 1: feeling the gratitude that I need to have for all 163 00:08:56,720 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 1: that that is going on in my life and all 164 00:08:58,840 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: of the people that I have in my life. You know, 165 00:09:02,160 --> 00:09:04,520 Speaker 1: And I think when you talk about the idea of 166 00:09:04,679 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: success and and wanting to go on this journey of 167 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:12,160 Speaker 1: finding personal growth or or financial growth. Gratitude is a 168 00:09:12,200 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: major element in all of that. And if you don't 169 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: find a way to be grateful for all that you 170 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:20,840 Speaker 1: currently have, trust me, no matter how much you accumulate 171 00:09:20,880 --> 00:09:23,280 Speaker 1: in the future, no matter how much you accomplish in 172 00:09:23,320 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 1: the future, if you do not have that gratitude, you 173 00:09:26,080 --> 00:09:30,040 Speaker 1: will still be feeling just as unfulfilled as you did before. 174 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,760 Speaker 1: And that is an incredibly sad and lonely way to live. 175 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:36,760 Speaker 1: And in a way, to imagine that hungry ghost just 176 00:09:36,920 --> 00:09:39,200 Speaker 1: constantly taking in a more and more food that just 177 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 1: continues to fall out of its belly, and it's this 178 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 1: monotonous life of chasing the next thing rather than actually 179 00:09:45,559 --> 00:09:48,240 Speaker 1: being able to enjoy the beauty of this life and 180 00:09:48,280 --> 00:09:49,960 Speaker 1: the fruits of all of the labor that you have 181 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:54,199 Speaker 1: put into it. Grandiose skulls are incredible, but you also 182 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:57,280 Speaker 1: have to remember to be grateful and appreciative for the 183 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:01,360 Speaker 1: journey along the way. Now, with that, thank y'all so 184 00:10:01,440 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 1: much for checking out the Street Stove podcast. Do your 185 00:10:04,600 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 1: best to apply the concepts that we discussed today in 186 00:10:07,679 --> 00:10:10,760 Speaker 1: your everyday life, and I will catch you all next time. 187 00:10:14,240 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 1: The Street Stove podcast is a production of I Hearts 188 00:10:17,160 --> 00:10:19,080 Speaker 1: Michael Doura podcast Network