“Bragging”
Daily Meditation #227–10/7/2022
Everyone succeeds all the time. But they only need their voice and someone else’s ear for that success to take root.
Some people have big mouths.
Others do not.
But, everyone has a talent or skill — some talents or skills are more useful than others. But everyone has something.
Some play great chess.
Others have persuasive skill.
There are masters of management, and writing, and polyglots…
Give people a platform from which they can tell you their successes.
Listen intently and be joyful for them.
While you cannot change other people and it is delusional to believe you can change the world, you can certainly change other people and change the world through the self.
It is only in making oneself better that you can improve the world.
One of the best improvements possible is to go into the world each day with the express intent of gifting to others a moment in the sunlight — give them an opportunity to brag about themselves, especially if they’re more reserved. Ask them their passions and poke, prod and pluck from them every ounce through questions.
Just listen. “Show me!”
Allow others a breath from which they can exclaim “I succeeded!” and be filled with unreserved joy for them.
People — much to many of your surprise — are passionate, creative, and interesting. They are not just worth observing and listening to, but they wholly deserve to be listened to.
Let them shout their successes, great and small, to you.
Follow for daily philosophical meditations.
These are distillations from my coming book “YouDaimonia: the Ancient Philosophy of Human Flourishing.”
