I’m overwhelmed at work—how can I use this quote to set simple, sane priorities in my journal today?

Try a three-line check-in: 1) Useful: “What’s the one task that genuinely helps someone or moves my work forward?” Name it and time-box it. 2) Courageous: “What honest message or boundary needs saying?” Draft the words you’ll use. 3) Beautiful: “Where will I notice beauty today?” Plan a small moment (a walk, a song, a view). In the Stoic app, open a daily entry and write those three lines at the top of your day. When you finish, add one sentence on how each choice felt. Repeat tomorrow and compare entries to notice what consistently matters.

I’m afraid of rejection—how do I practice “say the courageous thing” in my journal before I say it out loud?

Use a rehearsal page: 1) Name the fear in one sentence. 2) Write the courageous message you wish to say, as if texting it. 3) Rewrite it with kindness: same truth, softer tone. 4) Add a tiny step you will take in the next 24 hours (email draft, calendar a call, ask one question). 5) Close with: “Even if I’m rejected, what self-respect do I gain?” In Stoic, save both versions (truthful and kind) so you can return and refine. After you act, add a brief debrief: what happened, what you learned, and how your fear changed from 0–10.

On anxious days about the future, how can I end the day feeling “that is enough” using this quote?

Create a nightly closure ritual: 1) Useful: list one small thing you did that helped someone or moved a goal. 2) Courageous: note one moment you faced discomfort (sent a message, asked for help, rested when needed). 3) Beautiful: describe one sensory moment of beauty (light, music, laughter). Then write a one-line permission: “Today was enough.” In the Stoic app, make this your evening entry. Keeping these brief but consistent helps your brain register sufficiency, even when the future feels uncertain.

QUOTE

To do the useful thing, to say the courageous thing, to contemplate the beautiful thing: that is enough for one man’s life.

Published on

Apr 30, 2025

Written by

T.S. Eliot

Journal in Stoic

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