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Join Kirk & Friends TONIGHT for "Wish Not Want Not!" with Warriors for Life (WFL)

Come join Volunteer, Peer Support Specialist Kirk Poe for "Awaken Your Inner Healer!" edition of Warriors for Life (WFL) Online, sponsored and presented by Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV).


We are asking everyone to share who we are and what support Victory for Veterans provides via WFL. If you know someone who is a veteran, first responder or a family member/caregiver, please ask them to join us for at least one meeting so they can learn more about what we do and how they can share their wisdom with others who may be able to learn from them.



TONIGHT's Topic: "Wish Not Want Not!"



Join Kirk and Friends, TONIGHT and let's get together online for the Warriors for Life (WFL) as we talk about "Wish Not Want Not!"


"Wish not, want not" is a Stoic-influenced mental health principle—often traced to Epictetus—that suggests that eliminating intense desires for external, uncontrollable things eliminates the suffering (wanting) that comes from not having them. It is a strategy for mental freedom and emotional stability by reducing reliance on external factors for happiness. 


Here is what "Wish Not, Want Not" means for mental health:


1. The Core Philosophy: Shifting Control


  • Detachment from Outcomes: The phrase urges, "Don't seek for everything to happen as you wish it would, but rather wish that everything happens as it actually will—then your life will flow well".

  • Freedom from Anxiety: By letting go of "ardent desire" for things outside your control—like fame, wealth, or even specific, short-term comforts—you become invincible to disappointment.

  • Reducing "Wanting-ness": Constant craving and longing create a cycle of dissatisfaction and suffering.


     

2. Mental Health Benefits


  • Increased Contentment: The philosophy encourages focusing on the present moment, rather than wasting energy yearning for a "better" future.

  • Emotional Stability: When you don't stake your happiness on specific, uncontrollable outcomes, you are less likely to experience intense emotional lows when things do not go your way.

  • Reduced Burnout: The mindset helps in reducing the stress of trying to control the uncontrollable.

  • Resilience against Disappointment: By not "hoping against hope," you protect yourself from the emotional wreckage of failed desires. 


3. Key Distinctions and Nuance


  • "Wish" vs. Goals: This philosophy does not necessarily mean having no ambition. It means releasing the desperate, emotional need for a specific, external result. It is the difference between working toward a goal and being emotionally destroyed if it fails.

  • Stoicism vs. Despondency: While sometimes seen as harsh, it aims to foster inner peace, not to promote a hopeless, lethargic life.

  • Alternative Interpretation (Practicality): A simpler, less philosophical interpretation is that "not wasting what you have" means you will always have what you need, reducing anxiety about lack. 


4. Psychological Pitfalls to Avoid


  • Avoid "Suppression": The goal is to cultivate indifference through wisdom, not to simply bottle up, repress, or suppress emotions, which can be damaging to mental health.

  • Distinguish from Passive Cynicism: It is not about not caring, but about directing your care toward your own actions and reactions, rather than on the external world's response. 



In essence, "Wish Not, Want Not" encourages a mindset where your happiness is self-contained rather than dependent on the whims of fate.


Warriors for Life (WFL) Online "Awaken Your Inner Healer!" edition presented by Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV) - Monday (TONIGHT), February 9, 2026 @ 4:30 PM PT, 5:30 PM MT, 6:30 PM CT, & 7:30 PM ET



Thank you,


Kirk Poe, Certified Peer Support Specialist, Reiki Master, Certified Body/Emotion/Belief Code Practitioner, & Volunteer Facilitator, Victory for Veterans, Inc. (VFV)


"You are Worthy of Every Opportunity to Heal!" 

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