Friday Book Report: The Life of the Mind

I continue to read along my semi-self-directed way through various books on mind, from philosophical and physical perspectives, stopping off to visit evolutionary theories, cybernetics, and whatever else comes up along the road.  As a result, I have spent the last few weeks reading Hannah Arendt’s book The Life of the Mind.  It was a little like eavesdropping on the adults from the kids’ table, if the adults happened to be particularly smart and inclined to discuss big questions.

She divides her topic into two sections, thinking and willing, and traces both ideas through time.  A third section, on judging, was projected, but Arendt died before finishing it.

I have mentioned before that I enjoy philosophical writing to a point, but when that point is reached I tend to feel like I’ve just been playing a very pointless mind game.  What keeps this book from crossing that invisible line is the writing itself.  Arendt has a gift for getting the gist of things across with appropriate humor.  Take, for example, this summary of a Stoic philosopher: “Anyhow, Epictetus considered himself a philosopher and he defined philosophy’s subject matter as ‘the art of living one’s life.’ This art consisted mainly in having an argument ready for every emergency, for every situation of acute misery” (p. 74).

Anyone interested in tracing the history of thought, in digging into the implications of who we are, how we think, and what it all means will find an engaging guide and teacher in Arendt’s work.

Out, darn clutter...

I admit that I’m fascinated with the concept of decluttering.  I like the idea of having the right amount of stuff, not so much that it overwhelms me and fills all available space, but not so little that the world is cold and boring.  I often even enjoy the process of decluttering—out with the ugly sweaters, the dissatisfying books, and the lidless containers!  Except.

There are things that are harder to let go of.  And many of them are both unwieldy and invisible.  Here are some I want to pitch; maybe you’ll join me:

• Comfort eating.  I do not need to clutter up my body with a cookie just because it was a Bad Day.

• Cooties.  Sometimes objects are so reminiscent of a time or relationship that has gone (or gone wrong) that even though the objects are perfectly usable, they loom and fester and bring us down.  Yes, I get space from ditching the things, but I get more space from ditching all the weight of memory.

• Mean thoughts.  I do not need to get up in the morning, look in the mirror, and say, “Gee, I look horrible/fat/tired/ugly/weird/old.”  It does not help me feel motivated.  It weighs me down.  I’m not suggesting that I lie to myself and say, “Hello, there, Miss America!” to my reflection, but rather that I treat myself like I would treat a friend.

• Comparisons.  As many writers have remarked, comparisons are odious.  There will always be someone smarter, stronger, cuter, and more talented than I am.  There will also always be someone less fortunate than I am.  Wasting time measuring is silly.  I need to get on with the actual work.

Got more ideas?  Tell me!

Celebrate!

Today is my mom’s 75^th birthday.  I have a milestone birthday, myself, coming up this year.  Age may be just a number, but it isn’t bad to stop and check in when that number ticks over.

Are we where we want to be?  Can we do the things we want to do?  What is easier than we expect?  What is harder?

And then:  what are we going to do about it all?  Let’s make it a positive challenge to make our milestones into celebrations.

Pay attention with kindness

When we get back to exercising after a hiatus, we can be tempted to try to do everything at once, just as hard and heavy as we did before we stopped for vacation, celebration, injury, or other life events.  This is not a good idea.  In fact, it is a good way to end up discouraged and/or hurt.

It is just as problematic to go too easy on ourselves.  If the goal we set is too easy, it is too easy to blow off.

The answer, of course, lies in paying attention, with kindness.  Yes, we have to work out.  Yes, that means cardio and weights.  See how it goes.  Maybe we are ready to do two thirds of our cardio and we drop the weights a bit for the first week or so.  We have to work out with today’s body and we might as well love today’s body because we’re stuck in it.  Treat it nicely and appreciate all the things it does.

Up from here.