Epictetus

I wanted to say a little more about the quotation on the website for July:

Only the educated are free

Epictetus (Greek Philosopher)

Epictetus was born around the year 55 (slightly before I was!) and was originally a slave.
He was eventually freed. (He may have considered himself free long before he was physically freed.)

He lived and studied in Rome (first as a slave) then became a teacher with his own school in Nicopolis in Greece.
He was a stoic and seems to have followed the older stoics.

In addition to the quotation above, his philosophy is very interesting in its ability to help guide people to a happier life.
We see many of the stoic ideas in more modern form - including Albert Ellis and his Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy.

Epictetus believed that we are able to choose - even though he believed many things belonged to fate - the way we respond to them is up to us.

"No one is master of another's prohairesis [moral character], and in this alone lies good and evil. No one, therefore, can secure the good for me, or involve me in evil, but I alone have authority over myself in these matters." (Discourses 4.12.7–8, trans. Dobbin)

Our thoughts and our responses are within our control - and we can choose to be calm and take an active role to improve the events that happen to us, or not.

Now I am not suggesting that I agree with everything the Stoics, or Epictetus, said; however, I do think there is a lot to be learned from them.
Nor am I suggesting that I, myself, can always choose the right thoughts or responses to disturbing events.
What I do suggest is that we are all learning ( or should be!) and can find our better paths in time - and perhaps with a little guidance.
Those who choose not to learn or change will forever stay wallowing in their own self-pity and despair.

Education - learning - can be freeing on so many levels.

Keep learning, keep growing and exploring the world!

Math skills

Many skills are learned best by "doing."

In academic studies, math may be the prime example.
The best way to learn mathematics is by doing.

Each night you should set aside some time to go over past
material and practise a few questions from each section.

Reviewing the rules and procedures is important; however, you
don't know the math unless you can start at the beginning of a
question and successfully work through the steps to a correct final answer.

One final thought: Don't be afraid of math !

Journal Writing

I often recommend that my students keep a journal, but keeping a journal is good advice for anyone.
Sitting down to write something everyday helps focus your thoughts.
It is a pleasant way to revisit the day's events and to make sense of them for ourselves.

Start off small and easy.
You don't need anything fancy to keep a journal.
A small notebook and a comfortable pen - along with your thoughts.
Don't be hard on yourself. Let the thoughts flow, and don't worry about grammar & spelling at first.

Of course, you can write a journal on a word processor. This method gives you the advantage of grammar check and spell check; however, it might not be the best method for correcting your spelling and grammar long term. (Even good writers tend to admit they get lazy using the technology - and sometimes the technology is incorrect!)
Using it as an aid, however, may be ideal to correct your own written version.

Just a few benefits of journal writing:

• develops logical thinking skills
  
• aids in basic writing skills by accessing the writing world each day
• over time, most people tend to try writing more clearly - playing with words, being more inventive
  
• refines your thoughts, hopes, and beliefs which helps develop better speaking skills as well
• can be therapeutic, a cathartic release of everyday tedium or occasionally more traumatic events
• of course, recording joyous events lets you relive them for a moment or two - nothing wrong with feeling grateful for the good things in life!
• over time, you might look back at past journals and enjoy seeing what your thoughts were and how they have changed

Most of all, have fun with your journal!

Just as with reading, the more fun you have doing it - the more you will want to do it!