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June    11th

JUST    DON’T   MAKE    THINGS  WORSE

“How    much    more    harmful are the consequences    of  anger   and grief   than    the circumstances   that

aroused them    in  us!”

—MARCUS AURELIUS,   MEDITATIONS,    11.18.8

he first rule of holes, goes the adage, is that “if you find yourself in a hole, stop digging.” This might
be the most violated piece of commonsense wisdom in the world. Because what most of us do when
something happens, goes wrong, or is inflicted on us is make it worse—first, by getting angry or feeling
aggrieved, and next, by flailing around before we have much in the way of a plan.
Today, give yourself the most simple and doable of tasks: just don’t make stuff worse. Whatever
happens, don’t add angry or negative emotions to the equation. Don’t react for the sake of reacting. Leave
it as it is. Stop digging. Then plan your way out.