We have discussed Stoic philosophy many times, focusing on recognizing what we can control and accepting what is beyond our control. It is essential to have the wisdom to differentiate between the two. Here, we would like to share some Buddhist stories illustrating this concept.

One day, Buddha asks his student, “If an arrow strikes a person, is it painful?” The student nods in agreement. The Buddha then asks, “If a second arrow strikes a person, is that even more painful?” Again, the student nods yes. The Buddha explains, “In life, we cannot always control the first arrow—the negative event that happens to us. However, the second arrow represents our reaction to that bad event, and this second arrow is optional.” 

The first arrow symbolizes the challenges, pain, and chaos that can disrupt our lives. When it strikes, it hurts. But the second arrow represents our response to the first, and as the parable teaches, we have the choice to avoid being hit by the second arrow. Our reaction is entirely within our control.

When things are within our control, we need to stay positive and strong- taking action instead of groaning about the situation, actively seeking solutions, and making the best decisions. Even if our response turns out to be wrong, in the future, we can learn from our experiences.

Journaling is a time for reflection, and I believe that as the brain exercises, the more diverse prompts we use, the better we expand our scope of contemplation. We collect journaling prompts to enhance our thoughts.ts.​

• what is one thing that I feel proud of today?
• What is one thing I feel stressed about today
• What is one thing that you gratitude?
• What is one thing that I help others?