Looked into at 43 the definition of "Stoic" and saw how a roman emperor had written a diary where he policed his ego and saw there's little of life we control and the things that upset us are almost always out of our control. Married that with some Buddhist ideals while figuring out what I wanted in life after a long distance relationship which was heavy on romance and drama went south, and found out same time good money meant little towards happiness.
Watched friends and family die, took it in stride, quit Facebook and TV along with News and focused on doing what I pleased. Stopped guilt over goals and meeting societal benchmarks, and found a way to basically, to be frank, get high about 3 days of every week and travel the US and Europe.
I serve aged family and have no spouse, kids, or debt, think love relationships mostly are birthed in fear of being alone and complicated by fiction and fantasy, and fine for others but not me. I know I am too freedom loving to be responsible parent, think overpopulation is reason alone to not worry on that, and I enjoy craft beer, great pot, MDMA 3 times a year, and mushrooms for spiritual reconnection.
I foresee Earth taxed by humanity and loving being here now and live for each day and have no retirement plan. When I get decrepit I've buried a box in the woods with enough heroin to OD and not be a burden to anyone.
I've learned less is more and most everything I want to share is my ego and doesn't need to be. Reddit is cool if you dial in the great subs and turn off the defaults and most of it. Listening is more important than talking. I tell almost no one what I do or think on and people and their egos and needs fill in the rest. I visit old friends and take them out to dinner.
Sitting on my ass and naps are king. I'm done with rat races and take it all in. Most everything appears to me to be a ego play chase solved by silence and low expectations and most people seem to cling and chase programs that are sales pitches by others.
Can't stand outrage porn and modern media life. Once I came to this outlook and place everything clicked and smooth sailing since.