"I am writing this, not for the eyes of the many, but for yours alone: for each of us is audience enough for the other."
— Lucius Annaeus Seneca, Philosopher and Statesman (4 BCE – 65 CE)
This newsletters offers thoughtful reflections to encourage preparation, mental strength, and clear thinking as we navigate life -- drawing on timeless writings and personal insights.
On Quiet Weeks
Episcopal bishop and clergyman Phillips Brooks reminds us of the power of quiet weeks:
"Someday, in years to come, you will be wrestling with the great temptation, or trembling under the great sorrow of your life. But the real struggle is here, now, in these quiet weeks. Now it is being decided whether, in the day of your supreme sorrow or temptation, you shall miserably fail or gloriously conquer."
Note: Do you suppose soldiers only train when they expect war? No, a true soldier and commander trains during quiet, peaceful times, because that’s what determines victory in battle.
We, too, have wars awaiting us—emotional, financial, and psychological wars. It could mean losing your child or mother, enduring a divorce and being left with no money, or finding yourself in a wheelchair after a car accident.
Now is the time to prepare your mind for strength and resilience. Facebook memes or TikTok celebrities have nothing to offer of true value or durability.
Like Brooks, Seneca also emphasizes preparation in quiet times, reminding us that life’s cycles—whether joy or sorrow—are inevitable, but resilience begins now.
"We would bear our own end and that of our loved ones with greater courage if we perceived that life and death, like everything else, come and go by turns."
— Lucius Annaeus Seneca
On Accepting Reality
Shane Parrish, author and businessman, shares wisdom about facing uncomfortable truths:
“I think that one should recognize reality even when one doesn’t like it; indeed, especially when one doesn’t like it.”
His book: Clear Thinking (New York Times Bestseller)
The truth I’ve had to face is that it takes about R100,000 or more to travel to places like America, Switzerland, or Singapore. Instead of wishing for luck, I’ve started saving and investing 50% of my income.
What truth are you avoiding by wishing for luck or divine intervention? The facts may already be clear: maybe you need to exercise for better health, earn an online certificate to improve your CV, or apologize to your mother.
Whatever it is, luck is not the solution. Facing the pain of truth is.
The End
Written by: Cancelo Alvarez
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