There are choices that affect others and your inability to change has greater repercussions than you may believe. When your decisions affect more than yourself, it’s necessary to make changes.
It’s important to realize that the opinions of others do not matter. Constantly worrying about what they think of you is a waste of time. At the same time, there are certain choices you make that do affect the lives of other people. When this is the case, the choice should be considered and tweaked to attain the best results.
I’ve been playing around with this idea in my mind and I think it pertains to health most. We may not often consider the impact our poor choices have on those around us. It’s obvious to notice the affects on our own health and wellbeing, but we fail to consider the burden placed on others.
Your refusal to fix your sleep schedule makes you tired and foggy. That’s clearly not ideal for you. Your poor sleep habits also force other people to manage your tiredness, irritability, and fogginess. Your choice to not eat well or drink water leads to sluggishness and being prone to illness. Not great for you, sure, but what about others? You’re sick again, so they have to cover for you or even take care of you. They have to alter plans because you can no longer go anywhere.
You can say it doesn’t matter or not care – they can figure it out. There comes a point when they won’t want to help out anymore. There’s only so much Stoicism can do before the added weight of your absence breaks the person down. Eventually, they may grow to resent you and move on. They’ll stop including you or even caring.
It may seem harsh, but with enough pressure, anyone can break. I want to get it through to you that your health and wellbeing affects more than yourself. If not for yourself, do it for those in your circle. Think of the people who depend on you at work, school, your friendships, and family. You can keep making your choices and dealing with the repercussions, but you’re now aware of your impact on others.
Make better choices because you’ll feel better and perform better. Do it for you first and foremost, but if that’s not enough motivation, think of those around you. Think of the choices that affect others.
April 24, 2023
