Sophrosyne is an ancient Greek concept of an ideal of character and soundness of mind. When this concept is combined in one well-balanced individual it often leads to other qualities such as temperance, moderation, decorum, prudence, purity and self control. The idea of this harmonious balance is the basis of two famous Greek sayings “nothings in excess” and “know thyself”. We often see the inverse of this principle in our own lives when we over indulge, maybe it is over eating or staying up too late. We do not like to do things that are good for us. I like to compare the concept of Sophrosyne to that of a muscle. Over the years we have all been training this muscle with our bad habits that eventually become a part of our character. The human experience is a constant battle between desire and rationality. In light of this, if your aim is to become a well-balanced individual you must learn how to conquer oneself. This week let us all try to cultivate new healthy habits, try to eat better, try to be careful of the things we watch and read, and try to watch our words and thoughts. As the Greek philosopher Plato said “ For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories”.