Life is busy. It can be stressful, exciting, overwhelming—all at once. With so much going on, it’s easy to forget to focus on the present moment and take care of ourselves. That’s why we sometimes need Stoic reminders—because gaining perspective isn’t always our first instinct. In the morning, a quote…
"We're all gonna die." If you've seen the movie Predator, you might remember Billy Sole delivering this line in an unexpectedly calm, matter-of-fact way. https://youtu.be/aUgwJukcBG4?si=cQYiOVbv12_uebZa In that moment, he was talking about an immediate threat, but really, it’s a truth that applies to all of us, all the time. As…
When people think of a Stoic, they often picture a quiet philosopher, deep in thought, reflecting on life and writing in private journals. This image suggests that Stoicism appeals mainly to introverts, but that’s not entirely true. Both introverts and extroverts can embody Stoic principles, and Stoicism may even help…
One of the best things about Stoic philosophy is how relevant its 2,000-year-old teachings still are today. Timeless wisdom like “If it is not right, do not do it; if it is not true, do not say it” and “While we wait for life, life passes” never go out of…
Marcus Porcius Cato has inspired countless leaders for over 2,000 years. Figures like Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and George Washington all admired Cato the Younger. Much of his legacy was preserved through Joseph Addison’s 18th-century play Cato: A Tragedy. Washington was so moved by Cato’s example that he even had…
If you're keen to emulate the ancient Stoics and aren't sure where to begin, one thing you can do straight away is start a Stoic journal. Reflecting on one's thoughts and getting them down on paper was a common practice among the likes of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca the Younger and…
One of the great things about Stoic spiritual exercises—including Stoic negative visualisation—is that they can generally be done by anyone, anywhere, at any time. Similar to other ancient Stoic techniques like writing in a journal and practising voluntary hardship, negative visualisation doesn't require the aspiring Stoic to be in a…
Stoic from beginning to end Thanks to three surviving histories, we know more about the life of Marcus Aurelius than perhaps any other Stoic or ancient philosopher. Cassius Dio's Roman History, Herodian's History of the Empire from the Death of Marcus, and the multi-authored Augustan History give us valuable insights…
Born into slavery When he became a teacher of Stoicism, the philosopher Epictetus told his students that a person’s caliber is revealed by difficult circumstances. So, when a difficulty occurs, they should think of it as God pitting them, as a trainer might, against a tough training partner. It wasn't…
A dramatist dramatised Lucius Annaeus Seneca’s story reads like a soap opera. This fact hasn't gone unnoticed by poets, composers, and playwrights throughout the 2000 years since he walked the earth. Chaucer, Dante, Monteverdi, and more found special places for the man known as Seneca the Younger in their works.…