[DISCLAIMER] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman. For this blogpost, some context is necessary. I was brought up religious, subscribing to the tenets of the Jehovah’s Witnesses early on and then with the doctrines of the Churches of Christ. Thus,

[ DISCLAIMER ] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy , this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman . For this blogpost, it’s worth noting that a citadel is a fortress that commands a city, and a fortress is a fortified place: stronghold—a place of security or survival. Given these useful

[ DISCLAIMER ] While serving in the field of military police (MP), aboard Camp Kinser in Okinawa, Japan (1997-1999), I had confidence (a belief or consciousness of one’s powers or of reliance on one’s circumstances). Specifically, I was confident in my ability to perform MP duties. Unfavorably, I wasn’t well-liked by many of my peers. This is because I began with the belief that I was competent at my job and then lapsed into overconfidence which the American Psych

[ DISCLAIMER ] Living within your means is a personal principle regarding the financial practice of spending less money than you earn or, more broadly, spending only on what you can afford. Concerning this helpful practice, I stated in We Buy Things We Don’t Need, to Impress People We Don’t Like : In adolescence, I [tried] to impress girls with tangible items. For example, in high school, I made contact with a Bomb City hustler (“T-Bone”) who negotiated a payment plan f

[ DISCLAIMER ] In common parlance, the term “realistic” relates to being able to see things as they really are and to deal with them in a practical way. For instance, it isn’t realistic to train (to make prepared , as by exercise, for a test of skill) in unrealistic settings (e.g., training to swim while lying in sand). As well, the American Psychological Association (APA) defines “training” as systematic instruction and practice by which an individual acquires compete

[ DISCLAIMER ] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy , this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman . The authors quote ancient Stoic philosopher Seneca who stated, “But there is no reason to live and no limit to our miseries if we let our fears predominate” (page 277). Of the negative

[ DISCLAIMER ] I enlisted in the United States (U.S.) Marine Corps in 1996, serving as military police and as a Marine Security Guard , with a final discharge from military service in 2007. Yet, that single sentence doesn’t provide a meaningful depiction of the in-service challenges I faced. On June 5, 2002, under authority of the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ), I was subject to a non-judicial punishment procedure for failure to obey an order or regulation (

[ DISCLAIMER ] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy , this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman . The authors quote ancient Stoic philosopher Epictetus who stated, “Consider who you are. Above all, a human being, carrying no greater power than your own reasoned choice , which oversees

[ DISCLAIMER ] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy , this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman . The authors quote ancient Stoic philosopher Epictetus who stated, “You can bind up my leg, but not even Zeus has the power to break my freedom of choice ” (page 274). Choice is defined

[ DISCLAIMER ] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy , this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman . Have you ever been subject to wearing shackles (something such as a manacle or fetter that confines the legs or arms)? It can be an unpleasant experience. About this, the authors quote an

[ DISCLAIMER ] From what I was told, I sustained bilateral clavicle breaks during natural childbirth when I weighed 10 pounds and 10 ounces. Thereafter, I was said to have contracted pneumonia which required placement into an incubator. Also, I apparently had an allergy to dairy and breastmilk. Isolated from my mother’s touch and subject to incubation, I reportedly had a photo taken of me with a paragraph written about my case that was placed in a medical book. As the sto

[ DISCLAIMER ] The word “supposed” relates to something held as an opinion (also mistakenly believed ), and which is considered probable or certain. Depending on whether or not one uses this term flexibly or inflexibly , it serves as a form of demandingness that causes specific outcomes. For example, if I flexibly maintain that you’re supposed to read this blogpost, it’s as though I’m recommending that you should read it. Still, if you refuse to pay attention to wh

[ DISCLAIMER ] When attending United States (U.S.) Marine Corps Recruit Training at Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego , the recruits with whom I attended boot camp also trained at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton (1996). There, we learned about warfighting from World War I (WWI). Specifically, recruits were taught about the gory endeavor of trench warfare and how as a last resort fixed bayonets (attached stabbing blades to the muzzle of a rifle for close-quarters

[ DISCLAIMER ] Regarding this blogpost, a number of terms warrant definition. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), psychopathy is defined as “a synonym for antisocial personality disorder [ASPD]” and “formerly, any psychological disorder or mental disease .” Similarly, the APA defines a psychopath as “a former name for an individual with antisocial personality disorder.” As ASPD is referenced in both of those definitions, it’s worth noting that t

[ DISCLAIMER ] When living with my dad during my elementary and junior high school years in Aurora, Colorado, he discouraged me from being lazy (disinclined to activity or exertion). Referring to laziness as the big ‘L’, “Son,” he’d say, “Why aren’t these dishes washed? Is it the big ‘L’?” I was taught to promptly tend to my chores, because my dad wanted to instill within me a strong work ethic . After moving back to Amarillo, Texas, away from my dad and then eventually i

[ DISCLAIMER ] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy , this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman . The authors quote ancient Stoic philosopher Seneca who stated, “No person has the power to have everything they want, but it is in their power not to want what they don’t have, and to

[ DISCLAIMER ] When assigned to the Marine Security Guard (MSG) detachment in Lima, Peru (2000-2001), I attended a United States (U.S.) Marine Corps Birthday ball without a date. A fellow MSG, who often expressed disdain for me, took as a date someone to whom I’ll refer as “Chaparrita.” Regarding how I met her, I stated in Non-Monogamous Desires that “there was the matter of another Marine’s date in Lima, Peru who liked me more than him, and who became my rave partner wh

[ DISCLAIMER ] I’ve paid close attention to the 2026 Iran war (also euphemistically referred to as an operation, hostilities, conflict, etc.) which was started by the United States (U.S.) and Israel—specifically, U.S. President Donald Trump and Prime Minister [PM] of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu . In particular, I’ve observed quite a bit of propaganda ( ideas , facts , or allegations spread deliberately to further one’s cause or to damage an opposing cause). Much of what

[ DISCLAIMER ] As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy , this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman . Stoic philosopher Seneca stated, “I was shipwrecked before I even boarded . . . the journey showed me this—how much of what we have is unnecessary, and how easily we can decide to rid our

[ DISCLAIMER ] Throughout my life, I’ve enjoyed visiting Palo Duro Canyon (PDC). Regarding this Texas state park, one source states: People have inhabited [PDC] for about 12,000 years. The Clovis and Folsom peoples first lived in the canyon and hunted large herds of mammoth and giant bison. Other cultures, such as the Apache, Comanche and Kiowa, used the canyon’s plentiful resources more recently. […] The state bought the land for the park from Fred S. Emory in 1933