1 00:00:15,240 --> 00:00:17,800 Speaker 1: Yes, Yes, I am dramas And this is the Street 2 00:00:17,800 --> 00:00:20,560 Speaker 1: Stole Podcast, bringing to your daily dose a time of 3 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:24,119 Speaker 1: stoic philosophy, a remix for the hip hop generation. We 4 00:00:24,239 --> 00:00:27,320 Speaker 1: are combining ancient philosophy with lyrics and quotes from some 5 00:00:27,360 --> 00:00:30,160 Speaker 1: of the greatest to ever grace a microphone. Now, with 6 00:00:30,200 --> 00:00:32,560 Speaker 1: that in mind, let's get things started with your daily 7 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:34,040 Speaker 1: shot of inspiration. 8 00:00:39,520 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 2: Now today we're. 9 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:43,519 Speaker 1: Going to be focusing all around the stoic idea of 10 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:48,560 Speaker 1: gratitude and our quote, our messenger to start things off 11 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:52,080 Speaker 1: is a bit of a problematic human being, but a 12 00:00:52,159 --> 00:00:54,520 Speaker 1: great artist, and I think somebody that has some wisdom 13 00:00:54,560 --> 00:00:56,760 Speaker 1: to share at times regardless. 14 00:00:56,800 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 2: And that's of course Kanye West. Right. 15 00:00:59,080 --> 00:01:02,040 Speaker 1: I always love this quote from him where he says, 16 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:07,399 Speaker 1: for me, money is not my definition of success, Inspiring 17 00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 1: people is a definition of success. And even though maybe 18 00:01:11,880 --> 00:01:14,319 Speaker 1: his actions don't sort of back up this quote, I 19 00:01:14,360 --> 00:01:18,400 Speaker 1: think the words still ring true on incredibly powerful regardless, right, 20 00:01:19,080 --> 00:01:21,119 Speaker 1: because I think what he's saying here in this moment 21 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,720 Speaker 1: is it's not about all the bells and whistles, right, 22 00:01:24,760 --> 00:01:26,640 Speaker 1: It's not about the cars, It's not about the clothing, 23 00:01:26,680 --> 00:01:29,840 Speaker 1: the jewelry, the fancy lifestyle. Right, it's about something as 24 00:01:29,840 --> 00:01:34,679 Speaker 1: simple as inspiration. And I think the funny thing about 25 00:01:35,080 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: inspiration is just how simple it is, right, just how 26 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:40,840 Speaker 1: accessible it is for all of us to receive and 27 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,000 Speaker 1: also to give. Like you can inspire me right now 28 00:01:44,319 --> 00:01:47,240 Speaker 1: simply by sharing somebody else's post on Instagram. 29 00:01:47,319 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 2: Right. 30 00:01:48,120 --> 00:01:50,840 Speaker 1: How many times you look at your friends' stories and 31 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:53,279 Speaker 1: they post a quote and you're like, damn, that's exactly 32 00:01:53,360 --> 00:01:54,640 Speaker 1: what I need to hear right now, and it makes 33 00:01:54,680 --> 00:01:57,720 Speaker 1: you feel some type of way like that, Right, there 34 00:01:58,480 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: is a very simple thing that was done but had 35 00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:05,960 Speaker 1: a profound impact. So I think it proves the idea 36 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 1: of simplicity, right, Like we overthink this idea of happiness 37 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: and success that it has to be these symbols of 38 00:02:11,520 --> 00:02:16,160 Speaker 1: stature and these grandiose things that are high price tags 39 00:02:16,200 --> 00:02:19,959 Speaker 1: or whatever it might be, when it's really something as 40 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:24,079 Speaker 1: simple as what Kanye talks about is inspiring somebody. For him, 41 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:27,240 Speaker 1: that's what success is. And that leads to a quote 42 00:02:27,240 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 1: from one of the Stokes, Marcus Aurelius, and he says, 43 00:02:29,800 --> 00:02:34,400 Speaker 1: never forget that it takes very little to love a 44 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:38,520 Speaker 1: fulfilled and happy life. This speaks to the idea that 45 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:42,280 Speaker 1: simplicity is key. It's not about how much you have, 46 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:47,480 Speaker 1: but about what you choose to value. Again, he's saying, 47 00:02:47,520 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: it takes very little to love the life, that you 48 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:54,040 Speaker 1: have to be fulfilled to be happy. 49 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:56,520 Speaker 2: It's all about what you choose to focus on. 50 00:02:56,560 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: What is your vantage point, what is the lens that 51 00:02:58,440 --> 00:03:01,840 Speaker 1: you're seeing your world through. And this is something I 52 00:03:01,919 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 1: always try to remind myself of, but I constantly am 53 00:03:06,639 --> 00:03:09,480 Speaker 1: reminded of it when I go to Puerto Rico and 54 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:12,160 Speaker 1: I visit a lot of family out there, a business 55 00:03:12,160 --> 00:03:15,080 Speaker 1: out there, and I'm constantly traveling there throughout the year. 56 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:19,799 Speaker 1: And for me, when I'm there, there's definitely like this 57 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,000 Speaker 1: feeling of relief of sort of like the weight is 58 00:03:23,040 --> 00:03:23,800 Speaker 1: off my shoulders. 59 00:03:23,800 --> 00:03:24,919 Speaker 2: And a part of that is cultural. 60 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:27,359 Speaker 1: Part of that is feeling like I'm home, but it's 61 00:03:27,400 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 1: also the Puerto Rican culture in general, right, that you 62 00:03:30,760 --> 00:03:33,519 Speaker 1: have a lot of people who are just getting by 63 00:03:34,600 --> 00:03:37,520 Speaker 1: and yet they still find a way to be happy. 64 00:03:37,280 --> 00:03:39,520 Speaker 2: Doing it right. It's a much simpler. 65 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:42,800 Speaker 1: Life out there, a much slower life, and it's like 66 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: the little ways they express themselves, you feel it, right, 67 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:48,840 Speaker 1: There's certain terms of endearment that they use, right, they 68 00:03:48,880 --> 00:03:50,920 Speaker 1: call you poppy even if they don't know you, right, 69 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 1: Or they'll say when provencial to strangers on the street 70 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:57,920 Speaker 1: when they're eating outside, right, which when provecho means have 71 00:03:57,960 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 1: a good meal. And that's just not it's something we 72 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:03,200 Speaker 1: see in everyday life, right, as strangers. We're not wishing 73 00:04:03,200 --> 00:04:04,520 Speaker 1: each other to have a good meal when we see 74 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:07,560 Speaker 1: each other eating. But it's these little sort of terms 75 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:12,160 Speaker 1: of endearment, these little sort of moments of community and humanity, right, 76 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 1: And the fact that even though maybe you might be 77 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:18,279 Speaker 1: in a more privileged situation than them, or they might 78 00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 1: be going through it in some sort of way, the 79 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:25,480 Speaker 1: idea that they still find it in themselves, the need 80 00:04:25,600 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 1: to be warm and hospitable. Right, That's always something that 81 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:31,640 Speaker 1: sticks with me when I'm over there, and I think 82 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:34,560 Speaker 1: it speaks to this idea of the fact that you 83 00:04:34,600 --> 00:04:38,400 Speaker 1: don't need a lot to be a happy person. That's consumerism, 84 00:04:38,440 --> 00:04:40,599 Speaker 1: that's capitalism. Those are things that we have been taught 85 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:44,320 Speaker 1: by society. But none of those things actually lead to real, 86 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:47,040 Speaker 1: profound and lasting happiness and fulfillment. 87 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:47,320 Speaker 2: Right. 88 00:04:47,600 --> 00:04:50,400 Speaker 1: It's the little things in this life. Be it family, 89 00:04:50,520 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: be it our health, you know, be it the way 90 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,880 Speaker 1: we're able to spend our time. Those are the things 91 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 1: at the end of the day that, even though we 92 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 1: oftentimes take them for granted, end up being the most 93 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: important parts. 94 00:05:01,000 --> 00:05:02,920 Speaker 2: Of our lives when it's all said and done. 95 00:05:03,320 --> 00:05:06,360 Speaker 1: Now we've talked about Kanye we've heard a quote from him. 96 00:05:06,520 --> 00:05:07,920 Speaker 1: We have heard a quote from one of the Stokes, 97 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,400 Speaker 1: Marcus Aurelius, give you a bit of insight into my 98 00:05:10,440 --> 00:05:13,720 Speaker 1: own observations around the idea of gratitude. Now let's talk 99 00:05:13,720 --> 00:05:15,680 Speaker 1: about how you can make it your mantra for today. 100 00:05:15,839 --> 00:05:17,680 Speaker 1: But first to take a quick break and then. 101 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 2: We'll be raving. 102 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: All right, So today we're focusing all around the Stoke 103 00:05:31,880 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 1: idea of gratitude. Right, you've heard from Kanye West, we've 104 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:37,440 Speaker 1: heard from Marcus Aurelius, from myself. Now let's talk about 105 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:39,920 Speaker 1: how you can make it your mantra for today. Now, 106 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 1: I think, in keeping with the theme of simplicity, one 107 00:05:43,440 --> 00:05:46,559 Speaker 1: thing that has been really helpful for me in moments 108 00:05:46,600 --> 00:05:49,240 Speaker 1: where I find myself going down a kind of rabbit 109 00:05:49,279 --> 00:05:53,239 Speaker 1: hole of depression or feeling like something's missing, or thinking 110 00:05:53,279 --> 00:05:55,120 Speaker 1: that I'm not doing enough, or that I'm not enough, 111 00:05:55,800 --> 00:05:58,479 Speaker 1: not being grateful essentially for what I have and feeling 112 00:05:58,520 --> 00:06:00,920 Speaker 1: like I need something else. I try to get very 113 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:03,760 Speaker 1: present and I kind of look around and I literally 114 00:06:03,839 --> 00:06:05,960 Speaker 1: ask myself like am I good right now? And I 115 00:06:05,960 --> 00:06:09,680 Speaker 1: don't mean like in the existential way of like am 116 00:06:09,720 --> 00:06:11,760 Speaker 1: I in a good place in my life currently? I 117 00:06:11,760 --> 00:06:14,320 Speaker 1: mean like, in this moment, whatever it might be, you're 118 00:06:14,360 --> 00:06:16,720 Speaker 1: sitting on your couch er at I don't know, Monday, 119 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:20,640 Speaker 1: nine pm at night, in this exact moment second, whatever 120 00:06:21,160 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 1: am I good? Am I safe? Do I have what 121 00:06:23,640 --> 00:06:26,479 Speaker 1: I need? Am I surrounded by loved ones? Do I 122 00:06:26,480 --> 00:06:29,200 Speaker 1: have access to loved ones? Whatever your thing is, whatever 123 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 1: you need, like whatever makes you feel good, even if 124 00:06:32,839 --> 00:06:33,480 Speaker 1: it's something. 125 00:06:33,279 --> 00:06:36,680 Speaker 2: As simple as I'm not in danger right now. 126 00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:42,600 Speaker 1: But again getting hyper present and generally nine out of 127 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:47,240 Speaker 1: ten times I'm always able to answer yes, right now 128 00:06:47,320 --> 00:06:51,040 Speaker 1: in this second, my life is good. I can't complain 129 00:06:51,120 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: like I'm grateful right now. That brings on this feeling 130 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:57,679 Speaker 1: of gratitude right and again, it's not as a means 131 00:06:57,680 --> 00:07:00,040 Speaker 1: to escape from our problems. It doesn't mean that you 132 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:01,600 Speaker 1: don't have things that you have to figure out that 133 00:07:01,640 --> 00:07:06,120 Speaker 1: there aren't issues at hand, But it's also about not 134 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 1: allowing yourself to tip the scale too far into. 135 00:07:08,560 --> 00:07:09,360 Speaker 2: That negative side. 136 00:07:09,440 --> 00:07:12,760 Speaker 1: Right, We're recognizing that no matter how much shit is 137 00:07:12,800 --> 00:07:15,240 Speaker 1: going on in your life, no matter what's going on 138 00:07:15,440 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: in the world, there is always going to be something 139 00:07:18,040 --> 00:07:20,760 Speaker 1: positive that you can look at to sort of tip 140 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:22,720 Speaker 1: things in a more balanced way. Right. 141 00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:25,040 Speaker 2: That's a very practical sort of approach. 142 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,880 Speaker 1: And then I think expanding it beyond that as your 143 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,600 Speaker 1: mindset begins to shift, right where allowing that to also 144 00:07:31,680 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: be a reminder that the things that you generally end 145 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:40,480 Speaker 1: up being grateful for are not anything with hefty price 146 00:07:40,560 --> 00:07:45,800 Speaker 1: tags or grandiose, impressive social media clickbait type of stuff. Right, 147 00:07:46,080 --> 00:07:49,200 Speaker 1: It's generally always going to be these simple things in 148 00:07:49,240 --> 00:07:52,560 Speaker 1: this life that bring you the most gratitude and happiness 149 00:07:52,640 --> 00:07:55,520 Speaker 1: in your current moment. Now, to recap all we've been 150 00:07:55,520 --> 00:07:58,920 Speaker 1: talking about, we got Kanye talking about success and his 151 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 1: definition of it being beyond just money, but more so 152 00:08:02,440 --> 00:08:05,360 Speaker 1: just the idea of inspiring people, right, and the idea 153 00:08:05,400 --> 00:08:09,240 Speaker 1: that inspiration is free, Inspiration is easy, It's something you 154 00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:11,239 Speaker 1: or I could go do right now with a simple 155 00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:15,240 Speaker 1: text message or an Instagram post. So the idea that 156 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:19,800 Speaker 1: this person who is highly successful, highly driven can talk 157 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:22,640 Speaker 1: about something as simple as just wanting to inspire people 158 00:08:22,680 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: as being the main focus shows you that these are 159 00:08:25,440 --> 00:08:27,360 Speaker 1: the most important things in this life. Those are things 160 00:08:27,400 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 1: that you should be grateful for. Right and then somebody 161 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:33,760 Speaker 1: who's you know, words have lasted the centuries. Here, Marcus 162 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:38,240 Speaker 1: Aureli is reminding us that never forget that it takes 163 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: very little to love a fulfilled and happy life. It 164 00:08:42,120 --> 00:08:44,920 Speaker 1: takes very little for you to enjoy your life as 165 00:08:45,000 --> 00:08:47,679 Speaker 1: long as you have your eyes open to what really matters. Right, 166 00:08:47,679 --> 00:08:50,560 Speaker 1: and you're practicing that idea of gratitude. And again, for me, 167 00:08:51,080 --> 00:08:52,600 Speaker 1: when I look at Puerto Rico and I think back 168 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: to my time there as I travel throughout the year, 169 00:08:55,760 --> 00:09:00,959 Speaker 1: the idea that people who have less than me can 170 00:09:01,040 --> 00:09:04,760 Speaker 1: still be so warm, so kind, so happy, and so 171 00:09:04,880 --> 00:09:07,440 Speaker 1: grateful for the life that they get to live is 172 00:09:07,640 --> 00:09:11,360 Speaker 1: a reminder of what's truly important in this life. The 173 00:09:11,440 --> 00:09:13,960 Speaker 1: idea that they can be warm and hospitable even if 174 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:16,679 Speaker 1: they have less than me is a reminder that they 175 00:09:16,720 --> 00:09:19,880 Speaker 1: have figured out what should be the focus where your 176 00:09:20,240 --> 00:09:25,520 Speaker 1: mind should go as far as what's important and finding gratitude. 177 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 2: In all of those little things. Right, And I think 178 00:09:27,200 --> 00:09:30,920 Speaker 2: that's the idea of what we're talking about today. Your life. 179 00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:32,600 Speaker 1: At the end of the day, it's not about how 180 00:09:32,679 --> 00:09:37,240 Speaker 1: much you have, but about what you choose to value. Now. 181 00:09:37,280 --> 00:09:38,959 Speaker 1: With that said, thank you so much for checking out 182 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:41,520 Speaker 1: the Street Stoic podcast. Do your best to apply these 183 00:09:41,559 --> 00:09:44,000 Speaker 1: concepts that we discussed today into you everyday life, and 184 00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:55,439 Speaker 1: I'll catch you next time. The Street Stoke Podcast is 185 00:09:55,480 --> 00:09:58,760 Speaker 1: a production of Iheart's Micatura podcast network.