In this week’s episode of Navigate the Day, I explore the Stoic insight from Seneca: “We don’t get to choose our parents, but we can choose whose children we’d like to be.” Reflecting I share how this idea hit me mid-week when I realized I hadn’t been deliberate about the mental influences I let shape my life.
I open up about my tendency to get lost in my own struggles—fixating on unmet goals, replaying mistakes, and forgetting the broader tapestry of human experience. Drawing on Seneca’s wisdom, I discuss the power of intentionally choosing role models—whether Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius, Nelson Mandela, or Maya Angelou—to guide our standards and expand our vision, even when we’re walking alone.
I candidly admit the challenges I’m facing right now: unhappiness in a job that pays the bills but drains my spirit, a mind wired toward cynicism, and difficulty finding contentment despite countless blessings. Yet, I also share the small steps I’m taking to shift perspective—pausing to compare my life to unimaginable hardships elsewhere, practicing gratitude for what I have, and seeking out voices that lift rather than limit me.
Ultimately, this episode is about reclaiming agency over our internal world. You may not choose your starting point, but every day you can decide whose values, virtues, and habits you want to inherit. By curating a “family” of thinkers and doers who embody courage, kindness, and resilience, we give ourselves a living legacy to follow—one that empowers us to rise above the noise and live with purpose, compassion, and joy.
You are never too old to be raised again. Choose your mentors wisely, and in doing so, become the person you admire.
Thank you for listening and joining me on my journey of self-discovery!
Mediations and Prompts influenced from The Daily Stoic Books
Please if you enjoy this content checkout Ryan's work
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