[shakespeare47]

Threads like this just help me deal with what's going on.

I'm working at my current job as an intern until December. I'm a friend (not really that close) of the owner and he let me know I'd be working directly for him- I think that will continue when the new plant manager takes over.

The new plant manager seems passive aggressive- and I can't help but notice that he expresses his dislike for things that he knows I'm interested in. My gut feeling is that I need to be on guard to be sure he doesn't take advantage of me.

L- let me know that her time is important, but mine is not. I'm going to have to let her know that I'm not going to drop everything just because it's convenient for her. The eye-rolling and just outright disrespect is getting old quick.

A.S.-Also passive aggressive- stonewalling is her favorite technique.

I think R is on my side for the most part. He seems genuinely interested in my well-being, and he seems like a decent guy.

On the other hand, I'm sure they're decent people. L is helping to place homeless animals.

The new plant manager seems like he has led an interesting life. I'm sure A.S. has some good qualities.

I feel really inadequate at times. Like I'm slow to catch on to what people want, where I fit in, how to get along with people without being a pushover.

[shakespeare47]

A.S. and L are critical of the owner. I think he recognizes that they disrespect him, but he keeps them around because they do their jobs.

[shakespeare47]

I have an appreciation for Stoicism and meditation. I put together this Stoicism based meditation script that is based on the Lovingkindness meditation theme.

Script:
In this meditation, we’ll be cultivating the practice of extending our natural self-love to include all mankind.
We begin by acknowledging our love for ourselves. Think about the way you take care of yourself. The way you love and take care of your own bodily needs. Think about the way you treat yourself with fairness and benevolence.
Think to yourself:
May I flourish and achieve true fulfillment (Eudaimonia)
May I accept love and care from others
May I experience equanimity in all situations
May I know the joy of being alive
May I experience the pleasure of making progress towards moral perfection
May I be physically and mentally well
May I experience the joy to be found in each moment
May I live in harmony with the community of all mankind
Now you can open the circle of your self-love by bringing to mind someone who is dear to you. Someone whom you care about and who has always been supportive. Reflect on this person’s basic goodness, sensing what it is in particular that you love about him or her. In your heart feel your appreciation for this dear one, and begin your simple offering.
Offer up these thoughts to your loved one:
May you flourish and achieve true fulfillment (Eudaimonia)
May you accept love and care from others
May you experience equanimity in all situations
May you know the joy of being alive
May you experience the pleasure of making progress towards moral perfection
May you be physically and mentally well
May you experience the joy to be found in each moment
May you live in harmony with the community of all mankind
Now bring to mind a “neutral” person. This is someone you might see regularly but don’t know well...It might be a neighbor, a grocery store clerk.
Bring this person to mind now, and repeat these words:
May you flourish and achieve true fulfillment (Eudaimonia)
May you accept love and care from others
May you experience equanimity in all situations
May you know the joy of being alive
May you experience the pleasure of making progress towards moral perfection
May you be physically and mentally well
May you experience the joy to be found in each moment
May you live in harmony with the community of all mankind
And now, if it’s possible for you, bring to mind someone with whom you’ve had a difficult relationship. Perhaps it’s someone you don’t like to feel sympathy or compassion for. See if it’s possible to let go of feelings of resentment and dislike for this person. Remind yourself to see this person as a whole being...deserving of love and kindness. As someone who feels pain and anxiety...as someone who also suffers.
See if it’s possible to extend to this person these thoughts:
May you flourish and achieve true fulfillment (Eudaimonia)
May you accept love and care from others
May you experience equanimity in all situations
May you know the joy of being alive
May you experience the pleasure of making progress towards moral perfection
May you be physically and mentally well
May you experience the joy to be found in each moment

The discipline of action, is the virtue of living in harmony with the community of all mankind, which means benevolently wishing all of mankind to flourish and achieve “happiness” (eudaimonia) the goal of life, while accepting that this is ultimately beyond any individual’s direct control. It’s tempting to see this discipline as particularly associated with the cardinal virtue of “justice”, which the Stoics defined as including both fairness to others and benevolence. This discipline is called “action in the service of mankind”, because it involves extending the same natural affection or care that we are born feeling for our own body and physical wellbeing to include the physical and mental wellbeing of all mankind, through a process known as “appropriation” (oikeiosis) or widening the circle of our natural “self-love” to include all mankind. This can be described as “Stoic Philanthropy”, or love of mankind, a term they employed themselves.

[shakespeare47]

I've decided to focus on the fact that J gave me a great opportunity, and I'll only be there a short time.

[shakespeare47]

The new plant manager is growing on me. He seems like a decent guy.

I notice a pattern in my life. It's like the question I keep focusing on is, "who is upsetting me?" and what I really want to focus on is, "how can I be a virtuous person?" or "how can I develop a good character?"

I had a conflict with some people on Wednesday, I had Thursday off, and Friday went well. There are times when conflict leads to a breakthrough.

[shakespeare47]

On the other hand, based on what happened today, maybe I just ticked off the new plant manager, and now he is attempting to get even.

[shakespeare47]

There are probably some things I can do to make things easier for myself. Like when the plant manager asks me to do something, maybe I should just do it.

[shakespeare47]

The Stoics believed that we are all imperfect people, and that we ought to take pity on others and ourselves when we fail.

[shakespeare47]

Other people are a lot like me. They have their egos and wants and desires and emotions that they are dealing with.

The only thing that I have control over is my own attitudes and actions.

[shakespeare47]

In this situation, the best I can do truly is the best I can do.

[shakespeare47]

People say and do what they believe to be right. Sometimes it makes sense to try and point out their mistakes with their best interests in mind, and sometimes it doesn't.

[shakespeare47]

I've had some good days and some bad days. I was irritated today because I head someone say, "we were just talking about you..." and I assumed the worst. I obviously don't even know if what they were saying was good or bad.

[mwaxy]

Thank you for this thread as it promotes thought, self-reflection and enlightenment

[mwaxy]

Originally Posted by shakespeare47

I've had some good days and some bad days. I was irritated today because I head someone say, "we were just talking about you..." and I assumed the worst. I obviously don't even know if what they were saying was good or bad.

I would have said...'about what?'

[shakespeare47]

Originally Posted by mwaxy

I would have said...'about what?'

Ever been in a situation where people say something, and then kinda disappear, so that if you do say something, you're saying it to their retreating backs?

[shakespeare47]

Only 25 days left.

Things are going okay. It takes a while to figure out how to interact with people in order to do one's job.

[shakespeare47]

One of the best interactions I had recently was when they needed someone to come in on a Saturday, and I was able to negotiate the situation so that I got paid for reading in preparation for my classes.

[shakespeare47]

I was told recently that my work was appreciated. That felt pretty good.

[shakespeare47]

Whew! I made it. I'm basically done, but I told them that I could come in from time to time if they thought it might help.

I actually resolved several issues that I had with the people I work with, and I feel like I'm leaving on good terms.