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What do you really want? Do you believe in yourself, that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to? The question of self-confidence or self-belief really gets to the core of our being. Of course, the answer doesn't need to be a simple "yes" or "no", it would be more accurate to think on a scale from 0% to 100%. Most of us are probably not at 100%. At least, I'm certainly not. In that case, it is extremely important and highly worthwhile to move ourselves higher on the self-belief scale. Why? Because our beliefs determine our thoughts, our thoughts determine our actions, and our actions determine our life. If we don't believe we can succeed, we won't even try. If our belief is weak, then we will act with weak motivation, and then we give up in the face of the slightest difficulty. If we really believe we can do it, then we will act with resolute determination, and we will keep marching through all difficulties until we finally achieve our goal. Global leadership expert Sheila Murray Bethel said: "Of all the communication you do, none is more important than how you talk to yourself. Your internal confidence has more to do with your success in life than any other factor." Indeed, we probably won't find any highly successful person who says, "I'm not a very capable person. I didn't think I could achieve this. It just kind of happened by luck." Unfortunately, many of us have too much negative self-talk. According to the National Science Foundation, 80% of the average person's daily thoughts are negative. That means we have a lot more thoughts related to worry, doubt, and fear instead of belief, confidence, and determination. The big question is: How can we move higher on the self-belief scale? There isn't one right answer, but below are some methods I've found: Focus on innate potential Re-train your thoughts Re-select your values Icon Sources: 1 , 2 , 3 1: Know Your Innate Potential So many of us base our self-confidence based on impermanent things, such as wealth, status, intelligence, beauty, success, and other's opinions. The problem is, these things easily change, which means our self-confidence is shaky. If we can build our self-confidence based on something eternal, then we will have permanent self-confidence. What is that "something"? Ancient philosophers tell us that every person is born with the same innate potential. Put in modern scientific terms, we all have the same human DNA. Image Source The ancient Stoic emperor Marcus Aurelius said, "If it's humanly possible, you can do it too." Contemporary Stoic Ryan Holiday echoed the same idea when he said, "Don't forget, though, that you come from a long, unbroken line of ancestors who survived unimaginable adversity, difficulty, and struggle. It's their genes and their blood that run through your body right now… as their viable offspring, you're capable of what they are capable of. You're meant for this." Think of all the great heroes, past or present, that you admire. They are people just like us. If you research their life, you will find that they have problems and encountered difficulties just like us. In fact, they probably had even more difficulties than most people. But they were able to push through. If they can do it, so can we. Viktor E. Frankl went through hell in the Nazi concentration camps. Most of us probably won't go through anywhere near as much suffering or torture as he did. But he said, “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” In other words, our ability to choose how we behave and respond to our circumstances can never be taken away from us, and that's the key to greatness. That is what we should build our confidence on. As long as we continue to believe in ourselves, we will persevere. And as long as we persevere, we will eventually break through. A great example is Thomas Edison. He failed a thousand times before he finally successfully invented the lightbulb. Another example is Bill Gates. His first company crumbled, and his first product demo didn't even work. He went on to create Microsoft. One more example is J.K. Rowling. When she wrote her first manuscript for Harry Potter, she was rejected by twelve publishers! She went on to create the Harry Potter empire. They are all human just like us. We will make mistakes and fail just like them. But just like them, we can achieve any goal as long as we believe in ourselves and never give up. 2: Re-Train Your Thoughts Marcus Aurelius also said, "The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts." Ultimately, our thought patterns are a habit, and like any habit, they can be un-learned and re-trained. When we doubt ourselves, we have thoughts like, I can't do that. That's too hard for me. Other people can do that. I can't do that. I'm so dumb. I'm such a failure. We need to train ourselves to be sensitive to our thoughts, to catch these sinister thoughts, and then dispel them with proper thoughts. Liao Fan's Four Lessons goes into detail about habit change, and a great teaching from the book is, "When proper thoughts arise, improper thoughts will naturally be unable to pollute the mind." To give an analogy, our improper thoughts, such as self-doubt, are like thieves. They are in the wrong from the very beginning, so they don't dare to be tested in court. Our proper thoughts are like police. When the police arrive, all the thieves scramble to hide or run away. When we start to doubt ourselves, we can think: I can do anything I set my mind to, just like Thomas Edison. I might not succeed overnight, but I can definitely succeed through perseverance. Have I ever done anything challenging in the past? If I overcame difficulty before, I can do it again. People with human DNA have done harder things than this. I have human DNA too, I can definitely do it. It might be hard at the beginning, but my ability will increase with training. Even if I'm not as smart as I want to be right now, that doesn't mean I can't get smarter. I can start improving today. I'm not a failure, I'm a learner on a learning journey. No one is perfect. Everyone makes mistakes. Great people aren't those who don't make mistakes, they are those who learn and improve from their mistakes. Here some more Stoicism quotes for permanent self-confidence: "The trials you face will introduce you to your strengths." —Epictetus "A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials." —Seneca "Nothing important comes into being overnight; even grapes or figs need time to ripen." —Epictetus "Devote the rest of your life to making progress." —Epictetus "It does not matter what you bear, but how you bear it." —Seneca As with any new habit, at the beginning, it takes a lot of effort to re-train our thoughts, but slowly and surely, it will become more natural. One day, we will suddenly notice that our self-confidence is a lot more than before. 3: Re-Select Your Values As mentioned earlier, so many of us base our self-confidence and self-esteem based on external things, such as wealth, status, intelligence, beauty, success, and other's opinions. These things are all subject to change and outside of our control. When we heavily value these things, we are setting ourselves up for disappointment in the future, and we will lose self-esteem. If we want a healthy mindset, what should we value then? Marcus Aurelius said, "Life is short—the fruit of this life is a good character and acts for the common good." In other words, we should value self-improvement and kindness. Socrates said, "Just as one person delights in improving his farm, and another his horse, so I delight in attending to my own improvement day by day." When we value self-improvement, we will be humble and try to learn from every experience. Whereas others will feel dejected in the face of difficulty, a humble person will learn and improve from it. When we learn and improve from every situation, we will gain more confidence, and we no longer fear "unfavorable" circumstances because we can grow from them. What a very delightful way to live! Confucius expressed the same idea when he said, "Walking among two people, I find my teacher among them. I choose that which is good in them and follow it, and that which is bad and change it." In other words, a humble person sees everyone as their teacher. If we see people's good points, we don't need to feel dejected, envious, or inferior. After all, everyone has their unique strengths, including ourselves. We should be happy to encounter them and learn from their good points. When we encounter people's bad points, we shouldn't feel arrogant or blame them, because everyone has their weaknesses, including ourselves. We should reflect on whether we have the same problem (most likely yes) and how we can correct it in ourselves. With this kind of attitude, we won't be self-depreciating nor arrogant, which means our self-confidence won't be hurt by anyone. Moreover, as we improve with every interaction, our self-confidence grows too. The second virtue that Marcus Aurelius mentioned is kindness. Kindness dampens ego. The ego is very polar. It either makes us arrogant (I'm way better than others) or self-deprecating (I'm the worst). When we value kindness, we shift our attention from the self to others. Rather than thinking so much about our desires and worries, we think about how to help others be happy, thereby forgetting "I". As Seneca said, "Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness." With this kind of attitude, we won't think so much about "I" or how others are thinking about "me". When we then act on our kind thoughts and help others, we gain the joy of helping others and the joy of making a positive difference in the world. These are all helpful for our self-confidence. My Experience Epictetus said, "Who then is invincible? The one who cannot be upset by anything outside their reasoned choice." That is something I want. Thus, I need to stop being a slave to emotions like desire and anger. I've studied great philosophers of the past and know that it's definitely possible, but I'm still far from it. When I do something dumb due to desire or get upset, sometimes, I feel like it's too hard to master my own emotions. But the important thing for me is to remember patience. These habits don't get corrected in one day…or one month…or one year…It takes years and years of perseverance. I'm sure past heroes didn't master their emotions in a day. They dedicated their whole lives to it, so I shouldn't rush. It's no wonder Epictetus said " Devote the rest of your life to making progress. " He must have done the same himself. If he can do it, I can do it too. Even though my cultivation has ups and downs, as long as I get back up after my falls, I can maintain a positive trend, and that's what I should judge myself on. I remember my mentor once said, " I'm not that capable or smart. I often trip and fall. The only reason I got to the (high) position I am in right now is because every time I fall, after I lick my wounds, I get back up and keep on going. Lots of more capable and intelligent people started on this path before me. But they all gave up. So the only people left are the less capable and less intelligent people like me. " Obviously, my mentor is very humble, but from his statement, I also see that he doesn't base his self-confidence on impermanent things like intelligence or ability. Instead, he bases his self-confidence on his decision to always get back up after each fall, and that's something we can all do. Conclusion What do you really want? Do you believe you can attain it? Our beliefs determine our thoughts, our thoughts determine our actions, and our actions determine our life. If we want a happy and successful life, we have to put in effort to improve our self-confidence. To do that, we can first remind ourselves that we have the same DNA as all the great heroes of the past and present. If they can do it, so can I, as long as I persevere. Second, we can re-train our thoughts by using proper thoughts to dispel improper thoughts. Third, we can re-select our values. Rather than valuing external things, we can choose to value self-improvement and kindness. As our self-confidence grows, so too will our happiness and success. Weekly Wisdom #262

Have you ever encountered a situation where what people say doesn't match what's written down? I have recently, and I've reflected on how we should handle these situations.   Situation 1: Flight Baggage Recently, I booked a round-trip flight from Toronto to Vancouver. There were five of us, and we ordered 3 check-in luggages, and each person had one personal item (basically a backpack or bag) to bring onto the plane. On the first flight from Toronto to Vancouver, one person brought both a backpack and a tote bag, and it was fine, so we assumed that the tote bag doesn't count.   On the way back, we had quite a lot more luggage, so each person decided to carry a tote bag. When we were checking in, we even got luggage tags for both our backpacks and tote bags from the staff member, so we assumed that it's fine. Image Source: GPT But once we were about to board the plane, the staff member told us we only paid for one personal item each, and we need to pay extra for the 5 tote bags. I asked how much it would be, and it's quite a lot, about 20% of a flight ticket for one tote bag.   What would you do if you were me?   …   I first explained, "The staff member back at the check-in counter gave us the luggage tags, so we assumed that our bags are fine. If it's not fine, the staff member back then should have told us, and we would've adjusted our luggage back there."   The staff member at the gate replied, "I don't know what happened back there, but I am going with what your ticket information says."   She then said that the plane is about to leave, and that if we don't board in the next minute, we will miss this flight. It was almost midnight, and we were all tired, so we decided to just pay the extra fees.   Is it unfair? Arguably. Did I get upset? A little. But as a cultivator and philosopher, I need to use what I learn to calm myself.   Mencius said, "When things do go according to your wishes, reflect on yourself (for the cause)." Icon Source   Ultimately, the root of the problem lies in myself. When what the staff member at the check-in counter said didn't match what the ticket said, I shouldn't so easily believe the person. I should have double checked and asked, "But the ticket says only one personal item per person. Do these tote bags not count?" My guess is that the staff member didn't check our ticket information carefully and just assumed we had both a carry-on luggage and a personal item.   As for why one of us was able to bring an extra tote bag onto the plane on the first flight, I guess that was just random "luck". But getting lucky once becomes bad luck when we assume it will be repeated.   So the biggest lesson I learned is this: Only I am responsible for checking the rules, and when what others say don't match the written rules, always check.   Did I file a complaint? Yes, but the goal wasn't not to vent anger, it was to tell them that they should train their check-in staff better to prevent other customers from being misled. The customer service rep apologized for the bad service, and my case was recorded. In this way, I've done my part to help others hopefully not encounter the same problem I did.   The other thing that came to mind is something my mentor told me before: "Ultimately, a problem that can be solved with money is not that big of a problem."   Sure, it's not pleasant to have to pay so much for an extra tote bag, but it's not that  big of a deal in the grand scheme of things, so I shouldn't dwell on it. We reflect and learn from each mistake, and then we move on.   Situation 2: Washroom Sign I also thought about if there's ever a situation where we should listen to what people say instead of what's written. I think yes, but we'd have to get confirmation from a credible person, and we should also ask them to make a written or oral announcement so that everyone knows; Otherwise, other people may think we are breaking the rules.   For example, recently at my school, a lot of people from the general public came for an event. There was a door that said "Staff Washroom" on it. Some people didn't ask and just used it even though they aren't school staff. The thing is, when one person does this, other people will see, and lots of people will assume it's open to the general public and use it. This is not the appropriate or cautious thing to do.   If I were a member of the general public, I would ask a staff member if I'm allowed to use the staff washroom. If they said yes, I would ask them to post a sign saying "Members of the event allowed" or make an announcement to all the people there. Otherwise, it's possible that the message wouldn't spread, and other people might think I'm breaking the rules.   If they said no, I would let them know that I saw other people use it. This way they can respond appropriately, maybe by posting another sign saying "general public not allowed" or changing their decision to allow the general public to use it.   Situation 3: Meeting End Time Another situation I thought of is when everyone is always late. For example, if we have a weekly meeting that's supposed to be from 4:00 to 5:00, but in reality, it usually ends at 5:30, what do we pay attention to? In this case, I would expect the meeting to end at the time it usually ends, which is 5:30. This is from the perspective of being a participant. I shouldn't get upset that they are "late" because past experience tells me it's normal for them to end late. Moreover, I should bring up the matter to the leader of the meeting and suggest changing the written time to be 4:00 to 5:30. This way, we are promoting a culture of trustworthiness, and people won't doubt the leaders' words.   Image Source: Unsplash If I were in charge of running the meeting, then I would check with the participants at 5:00 if it's OK with everyone to end the meeting late, and if anyone has anything urgent to do, they can leave early and just read the meeting notes later. If we frequently run overtime, I would discuss with the participants: "Should we agree to change the meeting time to be 4:00 to 5:30 instead? Or should we change anything to run the meeting more smoothly?" This is showing respect to them and taking my own trustworthiness seriously.   Situation 4: Job Performance One more example I thought of is a story that one of my teachers shared. Basically, a person was getting emails from his manager saying that his performance was mediocre, and when he asked about it to his manager, the manager said he's fine. The manager sent multiple emails, and he asked multiple times. Each time, the manager said he's fine. He was quite confused, and when he asked my teacher about it, he told him, "You do realize your manager is trying to find a legal way to fire you, right?"   So what would you do if you were in this person's situation?   …   There isn't one correct answer, but I might send an email back to the manager saying, "Thank you for the conversation today. I now know it was a misunderstanding and that you are happy with my performance in terms of X and Y, and I will continue to work hard in those areas. If you ever have any feedback, please let me know and I will work hard to improve."   Conclusion When what others' wrote down do not match what they say, it's important to double check with someone credible. It's possible that they made a mistake (like with my flight situation), or they have ulterior motives (like that manager), or they didn't realize that the written message needs to be changed (like the washroom situation). Image Source: GPT   If we choose to listen to someone's words instead of what's written, then we  are taking a risk, and only we  will bear the consequences of that risk. To deal with such risk, we should ask the person in charge to change what's written so that everyone knows the new rules. If we are the person in charge, then it's very important to match our words and actions with what's written. Otherwise, people will eventually lose trust in us. Weekly Wisdom #376

2025 has just finished, and like many people, I am reflecting on my major learnings from the past year. In 2025, I had four major learnings: Propriety/Etiquette Attachment and Letting Go Be an actor not a reactor Meditation is worth it   Image created via Canva 1: Propriety/Etiquette Most people are familiar with the term "etiquette", but less are familiar with the term "propriety". Etiquette refers to the rules of polite behavior, such as saying "please" and "thank you", holding the door open for others, not interrupting others, etc. Propriety is a broader term that not only includes the matters of etiquette, but also the state of being appropriate or suitable. For example, when giving a gift, we have to make sure the timing and value of the gift are appropriate. Therefore, I prefer the term "propriety" over "etiquette".   Confucius once said, "If one does not learn propriety, one will not be able to establish oneself in society."   After all, no one likes a rude and selfish person. We live in an interdependent society, so if someone is disliked by lots of people, they won't be able to establish a footing for themselves in society. One could argue that propriety is the foundation of Confucianism.   All the ancient philosophers teach us to cultivate virtues like kindness and respect. These are principles, but principles need to be integrated with matters, and the rules of etiquette are the starting point. We can cultivate our kindness and respect by practicing etiquette such as When others are talking to us, look at them with full attention. Aim to arrive 10 minutes early. You'll never know if you'll get delayed, and arriving late seems like you don't respect other people's time. If others are late, tell them "It's no rush. Take your time." When sneezing, sneeze into your elbow, not hands, and say excuse me. Don't speak loudly in quiet places. Don't disturb others when they're busy or in a bad mood. Knock before entering someone else's room. Respect other people's space. When people call you or message you, try to respond promptly. Don't make others wait too long. When standing or talking with others, don't block doors or paths. When walking in a crowded place, don't stare at your phone because you'll walk slowly and block other people.   These are just a few examples, and I listed many more in my previous post on etiquette . These matters are extremely common in daily life, so practicing etiquette is key to cultivating our virtues.   I also wrote quite a few stories on Yanzi, who was a master of propriety and highly respected by Confucius. How Yanzi Made His Ruler Look Good How Yanzi Diffused His Ruler's Anger How Yanzi Graciously Refused His Ruler How Yanzi Humiliated His Humiliator   Also, in the later half of 2025, I started translating a Chinese text called 常禮舉要 or The Essentials on Common Propriety . I have finished translating the text, but I am still studying a lecture series on the text, and I plan to write some articles on it in the future.   2: Attachment and Letting Go The concept of attachment and letting go is absolutely critical and foundation to Buddhism, and it took me many years to understand the concept well enough to be able to communicate it in a blog article. If we want to be at peace, relaxed, and wise like the Buddha, we need to let go of attachments.   Basically, attachment is a strong desire for anything, such that if we can't get it, we become unhappy. Attachment includes a strong desire to not have something as well. Attachment is analogous to gripping tightly onto something. It causes our mind to be tense and stressed. Letting go is to loosen that grip. You can still hold the thing if needed, but you're also willing to let it go if needed. Icon Sources: 1 , 2 , 3   Understanding the concept of letting go is much easier than actually practicing it. For example, think of a food or person or matter that you really dislike. Can you make yourself not mind it? Or think of something that you really want. Can you make yourself not mind if you cannot get it? If so, then you've made yourself impervious to suffering, just like the Buddha!   In my article on Attachment and Letting Go , I explained five ways to help us practice letting go: See the truth Control the controllables and let go of the rest Embrace reality Practice selflessness Understand karma and accord with the conditions   Since I already explained in that article, I won't repeat here. What I will say is that detachment is like a muscle. The more we practice it, the better we become, and the rewards are very worthwhile.   3: Be an actor not a reactor This concept is core in the genre of western self-development. To quote Dr. Alan Zimmerman: "It's not so much what happens to you that matters. It's how you're conditioned to respond that makes all the difference."   I remember when I was a teenager, I read the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People , and the first habit is "be proactive", which is basically the same idea as "be an actor not a reactor".   Image Source: GPT This past year, I took a short workshop on this topic, and I shared my learnings in a series of blog posts: Be An Actor Not A Reactor Part 1: Inconveniences Be An Actor Not A Reactor Part 2: Negative People Be An Actor Not A Reactor Part 3: Negative Expectations Be An Actor Not A Reactor Part 4: Adversity   One of the stories that really stuck with me was how Dr. Zimmerman would tell her negative daughter in the morning, "Shelly! Something good is going to happen to you! Tell me what it is later." As time progressed, Shelly slowly started noticing the good things in her day, and she became more positive. As a teacher at school, I tried this with a negative student as well, and I noticed that his ability to notice good things has also improved after a couple months.   Another idea that I am still working on is to not catch other people's negative energy. Dr. Zimmerman says: "Perhaps there's someone that just really irks you. Rather than continue getting irked by them all the time, why not go to the bookstore and buy a book on coping with difficult people? Why not practice on them? You've got nothing to lose. An actor takes productive action, while a reactor merely complains." I already read books and took classes on dealing with difficult people, and I just need to keep practicing.   4: Meditation is worth it My first article of 2025 was Meditation is Worth It . In that article, I talked about how meditation is analogous to sharpening a tool (which allows us to do things better) or cleaning a mirror (which allows us to see better). Since we use the mind for everything, meditation improves our lives from the root.   There's a Zen saying that goes, “You should sit in meditation for 20 minutes a day. Unless you're too busy, then you should sit for an hour.”   When it comes to Zen sayings, it's important to not get stuck on the words and instead comprehend the meaning behind it. In this case, it's saying that if you are so busy that you cannot set aside 20 minutes to calm down and relax, then chances are, your mind is extremely agitated and messy, in which case you'd need to spend a lot more time "cleaning" and meditating to return to a state of peace and calm.   Image Source: GPT I have persisted with daily visualization and mantra meditation for over a year now. My visualization meditation helps me to have more vigilance towards matters that would normally upset me, so I don't get upset as often or as strongly.   My meditation in the morning helps me to see how calm my state of mind is that day. If there are a lot of wandering thoughts, I try to meditate for longer if possible since the goal is to calm the mind and bring that calmness into the rest of my day. As a bonus, I will sometimes remember important things or have insightful ideas during meditation (not on purpose; it just pops up).   Usually, I do 30 minutes of visualization and 10 minutes of mantra meditation. I've noticed that I've become a lot better at staying calm and focused for the 10 minutes of mantra meditation. I remember in the past, when I first started doing mantra meditation, a 30 minute session felt so long because my mind was full of wandering thoughts. Recently, when I tried 20 minutes and then 30 minutes, I noticed that it's a lot easier for me to stay focused for those longer durations. It's quite a delightful feeling to be able to control the mind rather than being dragged in all different directions by wandering thoughts.   Conclusion 2025 seemed to be a year of attending to the foundation, whether that be propriety (foundation of Confucianism), detachment (foundation of Buddhism), or mindset (foundation of western self-development). When the foundation is strong, everything else can flourish. I am still building my foundation, so I need to keep working hard in 2026! Weekly Wisdom #375

ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND BLOG Who are you? I'm just a fellow student of life, trying to contribute something meaningful to the world. I'm a high school teacher by day and an amateur blogger in my free time. Why did you start this blog? I'm passionate about learning, and I believe great things should be shared! I believe having wisdom is the key to happiness and success. Only when we have the right mindset and ideas, we will do the right actions and get good results. Hence, I started this blog to share wisdom that I've learned and practiced so that others might avoid the suffering I've experienced and gain joy and success. Why do you use a picture of a smiling owl? Because owls represent wisdom, and when we use wisdom in life, we will gain joy. What should I do on this blog? I suggest you either browse around or use the search bar for specific topics. You can also scroll down on the home page to see all the different tags (topics) on the blog. Click on any you that catch your interest to see articles on that topic. You can also browse a category that interests you. I created 5 categories for the blog: Weekly Wisdoms are my weekly learning reports. My intention is to make sure I keep learning, but since these learnings are useful to others, I publish them on my blog. Top Picks are articles that I think deserve special mention. Book Summaries are long posts summarizing books that I think are worth sharing. Stories are short stories with lessons worth reflecting on and sharing. Health covers basic knowledge we could all use in terms of physical health and mental health. I also blog about Traditional Chinese Medicine. Ancient Wisdom is about timeless wisdom from ancient sages and philosophies, such as Stoicism, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism. How can I support you? You can simply read some articles and press the heart button if you found them useful 😃. Another way is to comment on my posts about what you found useful. Can I request a topic for you to write about? Sure! I'd be happy to write about any topics that are useful to a large group of people. You can make a request by sending me a message on the Contact Page. About: About

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WELCOME I believe that the key to a happy and successful life is wisdom. When we think wisely, we act wisely. Then we naturally reap joy and success. ​ I started this blog to ensure that I grow in wisdom every week, while also sharing useful learnings with others. These are my personal learnings and experiences, but perhaps they can help others avoid my past suffering and to gain happiness. ​ Feel free to browse around, use the search bar, or click on any of the buttons below to read about popular topics on this blog. ​ Happiness Relationships Success Productivity Health Communication All Top Picks Stories Health 中文 Book Summaries Ancient Wisdom Weekly Wisdom Short Wisdoms Wisdom Quotes Alex Chen 13 hours ago 11 min 22 Things I'm Grateful For In 2022 In honour of Thanksgiving 2022, here are 22 things I am grateful for. What about you? 0 comments 1 like. Post not marked as liked 1 Alex Chen Oct 2 6 min Yielding & Humility ≠ Being Weak Being yielding and humble are excellent and important traits. At the same time, we mustn't become weak, insincere, or resentful. 0 comments 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Alex Chen Sep 25 18 min Ten Ways To Deal With Difficult People (And Even Work Well With Them) How can we deal with difficult people, or even better, work well with them? Here are 10 useful and practical solutions from Stoicism. 0 comments 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Alex Chen Sep 18 4 min Ten Tips for Suicide Prevention September 10 was World Suicide Prevention Day, and shortly after that, a classmate in my Chinese philosophy class told us she was having... 0 comments 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Alex Chen Sep 11 4 min 50 Fun Jokes That Don't Make Fun of Others I am a big fan of good humor, and I think everyone would enjoy more laughter in their lives. Here are 50 fun and respectful jokes. Enjoy! 0 comments 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Alex Chen Sep 4 7 min Take Blame, Give Glory Normal people avoid blame and take glory. Wise people take blame and give glory. 0 comments 7 likes. Post not marked as liked 7 Alex Chen Aug 27 7 min Don't Play The Blame Game Rather than blaming others and the outside world, focus on taking responsibility and giving reciprocity. 0 comments 8 likes. Post not marked as liked 8 Alex Chen Aug 21 5 min Stoic Joy is Real Joy Real joy, according to Stoicism, comes from a deep sense of purpose, inner confidence, and emotional stability. 0 comments 7 likes. Post not marked as liked 7 Alex Chen Aug 13 6 min Lessons From Lao Zi’s Teacher Four parting lessons from Lao Zi's teacher: 1. Be grateful to our roots, 2. Respect elders, 3. Respect Nature, 4. Be soft and adaptable. 0 comments 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Alex Chen Aug 7 4 min How to Handle The Death of Loved Ones 1. Be loving while they are alive. 2. Follow the Middle Way. 3. Ask them their wishes for you. 4. Carry on their dreams. 0 comments 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Alex Chen Jul 31 11 min The Enlightened Mind - Explanation and Application Enlighten your mind, and your world will change accordingly. Have sincerity, purity, equality, wisdom, and compassion. 0 comments 5 likes. Post not marked as liked 5 Alex Chen Jul 25 4 min Commemorating Venerable Master Jing Kong 2022 A bittersweet (mostly sweet) commemoration of my idol and teacher, Venerable Master Jing Kong. 0 comments 5 likes. Post not marked as liked 5 Alex Chen Jul 23 20 min Seven Timely Acts of Love Love and respect are not just empty words, they are shown on a daily basis through each and every small action. 0 comments 7 likes. Post not marked as liked 7 Alex Chen Jul 15 6 min Why So Harsh On Yourself? Are you harsh and demanding towards yourself or your loved ones? If so, let's untangle that knot for you. 0 comments 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Alex Chen Jul 8 3 min The Old Man And His Grandson A short story on the The Golden Rule and the importance of role modeling. 0 comments 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Alex Chen Jul 5 6 min Learnings From A Wise Friend Major learnings from my wise friend over the past year in honor of his birthday. 0 comments 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Alex Chen Jul 1 3 min Can You Feel Their Hardship? No one is perfect. Do you focus on their hardships, efforts, and contributions? Or do you focus on their imperfections? 0 comments 5 likes. Post not marked as liked 5 Alex Chen Jun 29 3 min The Body is The Temple of The Soul How my mother and I came to value cooking and nourishing the body more. 0 comments 5 likes. Post not marked as liked 5 Alex Chen Jun 24 5 min Confucius Worries Too "Not cultivating virtues, not striving to learn, not emulating others' goodness, and not correcting bad behavior, these are my worries." 0 comments 4 likes. Post not marked as liked 4 Alex Chen Jun 18 5 min Is it my responsibility to know what you want? The answer...it depends on if I truly love them or if I just want a transactional relationship. 0 comments 4 likes. Post not marked as liked 4 1/14 22 Things I'm Grateful For In 2022 0 1 like. Post not marked as liked 1 Yielding & Humility ≠ Being Weak 0 3 likes. Post not marked as liked 3 Ten Ways To Deal With Difficult People (And Even Work Well With Them) 0 6 likes. Post not marked as liked 6 Search by Tag relationships happiness virtue character story success communication health humility productivity Confucius decision making purpose filial piety Jim Kwik learning morality student leadership memory Kwik Learning loving kindness food gratitude BOH4M mental health Kwik Brain wisdom career emotional intelligence personality philosophy quote self improvement anger conflict resolution habit change sleep studying TCM trustworthiness Buddhism love reframing self-esteem Guide to A Happy Life habits Lao Tzu Ray Dalio stoicism Traditional Chinese Medicine book summary Jay Shetty Liao Fan Medical Medium mindset principles self mastery stress management teamwork trivia carefulness change Di Zi Gui empathy exercise fulfillment goal setting marriage meditation motivation The Middle Way TPJ2O 故事 Buddha