I want to briefly discuss Sod’s Law. The law goes that “anything that can go wrong will go wrong” (1). The pessimist views this as a negative aspect of life however the wise optimist views this as freedom. Since we do not know what will happen next in life, why would we worry about it? The issue with worries is that they rarely come to fruition, thus they are incredibly unreliable as a predictor for the future.

It’s better to believe that life is sufferable and be pleasantly surprised when it’s not, than believe life is pleasant and be bitterly disappointed when it’s not

Why should we worry about the future then? The poet Rilke said “Life is not even close to being as logically consistent as our worries; it has many more unexpected ideas and many more facts than we do” (2). Therefore, we should unshackle ourselves from the prison of our minds and accept that life will be unpredictable and a significant proportion of our future will be sufferable. That doesn’t mean give up, just wisely accept it, you’ll be less surprised when unpleasant surprises sneak up on you.

It’s better to believe that life is sufferable and be pleasantly surprised when it’s not, than believe life is pleasant and be bitterly disappointed when it’s not.

Keep On Struggling

Gregor

Restaurant I Enjoyed Again - Six By Nico

We went here to celebrate my partner’s birthday. This was the second time we’ve been and it was even better than the last. The theme was Lisbon (where we went last year) and each course (including Roasted Belly of Pork and theclassic Pastel De Nata) was mouth-wateringly delicious and the wine pairings complimented each dish perfectly. I’d also recommend spending a little extra for the optional snack to start with as the crispy anchovies were sensational. There are Six By Nico’s dotted around the UK.

Book now before the theme changes on 21st May.

Bar/Restaurant I Also Enjoyed - Bon Vivant

Bon Vivant describe themselves as “often informal and casual yet of a very high standard” (4), which summaries our experience perfectly. We went here for a quick snack and a cocktail and the snacks were delicious and thecocktails even more so. If you’re in Edinburgh, this is a must.

Quote to Ponder

If you must play, decide on three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time” - Chinese Proverb

References

1) Wikipedia

2) Letters on Life by Rainer Maria Rilke

3) Six By Nico

4) Bon Vivant Image - Bon Vivant

5) Image Credit - RawPixel

6) Daily Stoic Podcast - Episode 6