One of the best things we can gain from our reading practice is a vocabulary of experiences. These are the nifty and perfect little phrases that somehow seem to sum up or represent a fundamental concept in our life or work. We plaster them on our walls, news feeds, and even on our bodies with ink. They become guiding principles and reminders of our development. These epithets reveal some core of our being, clarifying something we’ve always known but never been able to put into words.

They might show up as personifications of a struggle such as Steven Pressfield’s concept of Resistance in The War of Art. Sometimes they represent states of character, like Elizabeth Gilbert’s Trickster in Big Magic. Or a word may perfectly and poetically describe a personal experience, such as the Stoic concept of Sympatheia. Maybe one piece of vocabulary isn’t for you. But chances are someone somewhere has founds the words you are looking for, and they are worth seeking out.

Whatever you come across, hold onto that vocabulary. Write it down and reflect on it. Consider how it might apply to your own life. Try coming up with your own. Perhaps meditating on an experience, you can find some small piece of meaning worth holding onto or sharing with others. These words and phrases may seem insignificant, but in times of stress or uncertainty, they can act as small guideposts, bringing us back onto or revealing the path ahead.