A Tiny Dot, a Taoist Monk, and Three Stoics Walked Into My Year

First, to give you some context as my reader. I am writing this article in a reflective mood. I am using my current body of knowledge and information to reflect on what I was missing in 2021 and how these new information has changed my perspective of life.

The One Idea That Keeps Coming Back

Lately I've been listening to podcasts on Taoism and Stoicism, and I've found an unexpected sense of peace in both. One idea keeps surfacing in nearly every episode, and it's stuck with me: the impermanence of life.

Here is the thing, everything in this universe is in a constant state of motion. Everything is changing as we speak. Whether it’s our thoughts, our perspectives, the nature.. etc.. everything is just changing.

There is a season of everything. There is the winter, spring, summer, and autumn. Each of these seasons has its own purpose. In both our professional and personal lives, just like nature I have learned that we have these seasons. There is a season of harvest and there is a season of preparation, there is a season of rest and reflection, and there is a season of active engagement.

Wu Wei: Acting Without Forcing

While working through the Taoism episodes, I came across the philosopher Alan Watts, who spent much of his career interpreting Eastern philosophy for Western audiences. He talks about a concept from Taoism called Wu Wei, often translated as "non-forcing" or "effortless action."

I find this concept pretty enchanting because it’s not encouraging active passivity, on the contrary it’s encouraging us to be actively present in every season and to live in harmony and peace knowing that there is a season of everything.

It’s inviting us to find joy in the impermanence of life and find satisfaction in the beauty of constant change of life.

A Tiny Dot in a Vast Universe

Now, let’s elevate our perspective a little bit. A few weeks ago I did stumble into a space video on YouTube, where the author was visualizing the size of observable universe. One thing that caught my attention is how the earth in her majestic beauty is just a tiny dot in the grand scheme of things.

I have not been able to get that picture out of my mind, but it surely changed my perspective on how I see the world and interact with people. It gave me a sense of humility and a sense of urgency to execute my life’s purpose.

What the Stoics Got Right

That same humility shows up in Stoicism. The podcast I've been following draws heavily on Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus, and one principle runs through all three: focus only on what you can control, and let go of what you can't.

Sitting with that idea for even a moment brings a real sense of calm. In business and in life, so much is outside our hands. Things go wrong every day, some within our control, most not. The Stoics don't ask us to stop caring; they ask us to stop wasting energy on what we can't change, so we have more of it for what we can.

Learning to Drift With Grace

I'm still learning about life, about business, about most things. But my view of change itself is different now.

Ideas change. Careers change. Environments change. Perspectives change. Nothing stays still, including me. So today, I'm choosing not to grip the old ways tighter, but to drift with the winds of change when they come, with as much grace as I can manage.

If any part of this resonated with you, I'd love to hear about it, what's the last big "season change" in your life, and how did you handle it? Drop a comment or reply, I read every one.

P.S. I recently launched a new website for my consultancy. Take a look at kcl.digital and let me know what you think.

Ciao!