Back Roads To The Self

It's day 184 of Documenting 2025.

What a day! 😮‍💨

I'm just typing this post by 6:53pm....after remembering that I haven't posted for today.

Anyways, you're here....reading.

And the streak is alive 🔥 

Good news is....

The power was restored today....this evening.

It was a shouting moment for everyone in my area....after a week of no power.

Something that affected every single person in one way or another.

For me, it wasn't totally a horror.

I was able to learn the importance of doing the unpleasant tasks early enough.

So I would save time later and not feel regret.

Lessons learned.

Moving on....

Let's see what we have for Highlights today.

Meditations will make a comeback today...and the interpretations as well.

365 Days With Self-discipline 

📌 On Creating Value 

"Vow: “I will create value for society, rather than extract it.”

Quote by John C. Bogle

In today’s world of consumerism, it’s easy to extract value without creating much yourself. 

Millions of office workers all over the world pretend they’re hard at work, while on their screens you can see solitaire, social media sites, memes, or any other distraction that helps them to pass time until they can go home.

Instead of bettering themselves and encouraging others to do the same,

millions seek to live their lives in the easiest way possible, even at the expense of their moral principles.

Harness the power of self-discipline to create more value than you extract.

In addition to making the world a better place, it will serve as a powerful exercise in self-control and transform your mindset to that of a producer, a person who will always be valued in society, regardless of the economy or location .

Resist the temptation to consume without ever contributing much yourself.

The more value you create, the better off everyone is — and the more that eventually comes back to you.

No comments on this one 🤐

It's pretty understandable if you ask me.

One sentence: produce more than you consume.

Moving on...

I only treated 3 'lessons' from book 4, because the third one is quite long.

Read on and see what I mean.

Meditations 

📌 Book 4

1. Our inward power, when it obeys nature, reacts to events by accommodating itself to what it faces—to what is possible. 

It needs no specific material. It pursues its own aims as circumstances allow; it turns

obstacles into fuel. 

As a fire overwhelms what would have quenched a lamp. What’s thrown on top of the conflagration is absorbed, consumed by it—and makes it burn still higher.

2. No random actions, none not based on underlying principles.

3. People try to get away from it all—to the country, to the beach, to the mountains. You always wish that you could too. 

Which is idiotic: you can get away from it anytime you like. By going within.

Nowhere you can go is more peaceful—more free of interruptions— than your own soul.

Especially if you have other things to rely on. An instant’s recollection and there it is: complete tranquillity. And by tranquillity I mean a kind of harmony.

So keep getting away from it all—like that. 

Renew yourself. But keep it brief and basic. 

A quick visit should be enough to ward off all < . . . > and send you back ready to face what awaits you.

What’s there to complain about? People’s misbehavior? But take into consideration:

• that rational beings exist for one another;

• that doing what’s right sometimes requires patience;

• that no one does the wrong thing deliberately;

• and the number of people who have feuded and envied and hated

and fought and died and been buried.

. . . and keep your mouth shut.

Or are you complaining about the things the world assigns you? 

But consider the two options: Providence or atoms. 

And all the arguments for seeing the world as a city.

Or is it your body? 

Keep in mind that when the mind detaches itself and realizes its own nature, it no longer has anything to do with ordinary life—the rough and the smooth, either one. 

And remember all you’ve been taught—and accepted—about pain and pleasure.

Or is it your reputation that’s bothering you? 

But look at how soon we’re all forgotten. The abyss of endless time that swallows it all. 

The emptiness of all those applauding hands. 

The people who praise us—how

capricious they are, how arbitrary. And the tiny region in which it all takes place. 

The whole earth a point in space—and most of it uninhabited. 

How many people there will be to admire you, and who they are.

So keep this refuge in mind: the back roads of your self. 

Above all, no strain and no stress. Be straightforward. Look at things like a man, like a human being, like a citizen, like a mortal. And among the things you turn to, these two:

i. That things have no hold on the soul. They stand there unmoving,

outside it. Disturbance comes only from within—from our own perceptions.

ii. That everything you see will soon alter and cease to exist. 

Think of how many changes you’ve already seen.

“The world is nothing but change. Our life is only perception.”

That's deep, man 😌

I asked Arnold, my AI assistant to break it down for me.

It didn't stop there tho...

Here's what I got:

🔥 Paragraph 1: Turning Obstacles into Fuel

> "Our inward power... turns obstacles into fuel... like fire consuming what tries to put it out."

Translation:

Life throws problems at you—people, situations, pain, setbacks. But your inner self (your mindset, your willpower, your reason) has the power to flip the script. 

Instead of breaking down, you burn hotter. You use those very challenges to grow stronger, like a fire getting bigger when more stuff is thrown on it.

Real-life application:

Turn rejection, criticism, or delays into drive. Don’t just survive—transcend. Fuel your progress with your problems.

🧭 Paragraph 2: No Random Moves

> "No random actions, none not based on underlying principles."

Translation:

Stop winging it. Don’t act out of impulse or mood. Be intentional. Let reason and values be your GPS.

Real-life application:

When you make moves—online, in convos, with work—ask yourself: “Does this align with my values, goals, or principles?” If not, why bother?

🧘🏾‍♀️ Paragraph 3: Escape by Going Within

> "People try to get away... to the mountains. You can get away anytime—by going within."

Translation:

You don’t need a vacation to find peace. You can mentally unplug by checking in with your soul, your core self. That’s where real peace lives.

Real-life application:

When the noise gets too loud—social media, people, deadlines—step back mentally. Reflect. Journal. Breathe. Get re-centered, then keep it moving.

😒 Paragraphs 4–6: Stop Complaining—Zoom Out

> "What’s there to complain about?... Keep your mouth shut."

Marcus is saying: Look—if you're complaining, you're probably missing the bigger picture. Let's break his logic down:

People’s behavior? Chill. Everyone’s flawed. No one’s trying to mess up life on purpose.

Hardships? It's either divine plan (Providence) or just atoms bumping around (chaos). Either way—complaining won’t change it.

Body issues or pain? That’s physical. Your mind can rise above it.

Reputation? Please. Everyone who hyped you will forget you. Most people already don’t care. Earth is tiny. Legacy is fragile. Move on.

Real-life application:

Perspective is everything. When you zoom out, the stuff that stresses you today looks small. Don’t let it control your peace.

🛤️ Final Thoughts: Back Roads of the Self

> "Keep this refuge in mind: the back roads of your self."

Translation:

You always have a quiet place to retreat to—your inner world. That’s your sanctuary.

> "Things have no hold on the soul... everything you see will soon alter."

He’s saying:

The world can’t shake your soul unless you let it.

Nothing lasts forever—pain, drama, or pleasure.

Real-life application:

Detach. Watch things pass like clouds. You don’t have to react to everything. Peace comes from perception, not from circumstances.

What Marcus Is Really Saying:

💎 Challenges are fuel. Use them.

💎 Act with purpose, not vibes.

💎 Peace lives inside, not on vacation.

💎 Stop whining—it won’t fix anything.

💎 People’s opinions fade fast. Don’t chase applause.

💎 The world is change. You are perception. Master your mind.

That's all for Meditations.

Quite a lot to take in, right?

I'm still gonna reread this post...and you should too and slowly, so you can really grasp the concept.

This is where I'll draw the curtains on today's post.

Thanks for reading 🎀 

I'll see you in the next one.

Make sure you look out for it ☺️

I'm Duon Ada.

I'm documenting 2025,

And I'll see you tomorrow.

Ciao 💕