I struggled most with the virtue of Tranquility. I chose this virtue because I tend to worry about things I can’t control or put myself in situations that induce stress. My high stress levels tend to negatively effect my moods, sleep schedule, eating habits, and school work so it was very important for me to try and improve this aspect of my life with the tranquility virtue. I currently have many different ways I chose to relieve my stress like work out classes, using a planner, and sticking to a schedule, but it was hard for me to stick with these things. I often myself having busy days and forgetting about things I needed to get done which I should’ve written down to do but I forgot. Whenever this would happen I would have to stay up late to get it all done so I can fall asleep without thinking about it. I definitely had some good aspects and accomplishments with this virtue, but overall I think it was the one I struggled the most with.
I felt that I was most successful with the progress I made towards the virtue of Order. I was tested in this area especially over the past week involving my travel and many deadlines to meet for school. Using a planner and to-do lists is one way I keep myself in check and stay organized enough to complete my daily tasks. Over the course of the experiment I was able to keep up with most of my tasks when it came to deadlines. For example, I was able to be at all of my destinations while traveling on time and I was able to make time to complete assignments that were due while I was there. I did run into problems like not having wifi at the hotel, but I was able to problem solve and did the work other ways then communicated to my teachers the situation. There were definitely moments where I probably waited too long to do something or didn’t prioritize well, but in the end I still completed everything I needed to.
Although I do believe that I was able to improve certain aspects of my life with this experiment, I think it would probably be more beneficial the longer I stick with it. Whether each virtue was successfully met or not, I was able to start myself on the right path to improving on each topic. This experiment has ultimately benefited me and given me skills to practice managing my stress, organizing my time, and making smart decisions to make sure I don’t feel behind or overwhelmed with my current situations. Things I have learned to let go of are making everyones problems mine to fix and having the mindset that just because something isn’t happening in five minutes doesn’t mean I have to wait to prepare for it. Although I never was able to focus on all five of my chosen virtues in a s single day, I believe that the practice of the individual morals provided me with a new pathway to improving myself and my lifestyle.