CxD #237: Nietzsche and Zen + Little Legacy Strips + 12 Character Traits for the New Year + President Obama on Judgemental Purity + ❤️

A very popular error: having the courage of one’s convictions; rather it is a matter of having the courage for an attack on one’s convictions!!! ~Nietzsche

1. 

   
   I was thinking of starting a second (alternate?) Substack Newsletter devoted entirely to my as yet unformed and potentially never-formed-at-all 2023 thoughts about Nietzsche and Zen and what they have to say to one another, in response to that tried and true question: How Should I Live?

   
   Buddhism and Zen have been trying to answer this question for over 2500 years; Nietzsche gave it a go from a completely different cultural background and a modern sensibility born of the European industrial revolution. The amount of overlap is as staggering as the differences are valuable.
   

   But so but then I regained my sanity and thought it would be bonkers to start yet another project, with my circus already so full of dancing bears.

   
   So instead, if I ever have something worthwhile to say about Nietzsche and Zen, I reckon I’ll type up those thoughts right here on the good ol’ CxD Newsletter, at any old random time and frequency, and write Nietzsche & Zen in the post title, so you can choose to read those posts or not, or unsubscribe entirely if you already know How to Live.
   
   Does this seem like a good compromise? What other obvious structures or requests or opportunities am I missing? Or would you rather see Zen and Nietzsche as its own thing? Help a brother out with your feedback.

   
   TLDR: Thoughts about Nietzsche and Zen might appear on the horizon in 2023 within the CxD domain, which you should read or not, as per your preference; if you have other suggestions, send smoke signals.

   ---

2. One of our own Character Designers shared with me this supremely joyful gift she received from her daughter: “Little strips of paper, each with a lesson she has learned from me. I pray this is my legacy.” Consider reading this list slowly and taking them in, like cherries falling into a fruit bowl, one by delcious one.

•     How to do something, even when it’s hard
      

• The possibilities of meditation
  

•       You can’t always see someone else’s struggles
  

•       Don’t just skim the surface in my writing
  

•       The joy of quiet time with a book
  

•       The beauty in the little things
  

•       To stop taking myself so seriously
  

•       Just 1 cookie is never enough
  

•    How to listen and not just hear
  

•       How to make lifelong friends

•       The magic of cuddles
  

•       To forgive myself when I mess up
  

•       The beauty and joy of dance
  

•       How to give thoughtful gifts
  

•       Remember I am stronger than I know
  

•       How to love with my whole self
  

•       Vanilla is better than chocolate
  

•       How to set a beautiful table
  

•       The healing power of laughter
  

•       How to talk and type at the same time
  

•       How to be critical and caring at the same time
  

•       Actions speak louder than words
  

•       Everyone has their own path
  

•       How to accept Papa’s crossword mastery
  

•       That tea is better than coffee
  

•       How to be dedicated to something
  

•       How to calm myself
  

•       I’ll figure it out, whatever “it” is
  

•       High quality is worth the cost
  

•       Everyone grieves in their own way
  

•       How to persevere through hardship
  

•       How to step out of my comfort zone
  

•       How to take steps toward forgiveness
  

•       Being well-informed is important
  

•       How to calm myself with breath
  

•       Not to always trust my 1st impressions
  

•       Inaction can be as important as action
  

•       The power of a good cry
  

•       It’s okay to be vulnerable
  

•      The benefit of stepping outside my comfort zone
  

•       How to be patient when it seems hard to do
  

•      Always be grateful for what I have 

• To be okay with the silence
  

•       To appreciate the majesty of nature
  

•       Thinking my way out of anxiety is possible
  

•       The importance of doing my research
  

•       The joy of British detective shows
  

•       Giving back is important
  

•       What it means to care for someone
  

•       How to devote myself to something

  ---

3. I found this list below on the internet but I forgot where. May these be of some inspiration to you.

---

4. President Obama addresses a line of thinking he sees frequently: “The way for me to make change is to be as judgemental as possible about other people and that’s enough”:

---

5. I end the year full of gratitude for each of you. May your 2023 be full of wisdom, love and plenty of character. ❤️