If our human perceptions about time and space are to be trusted, we all exist in the present. We experience everything in the now. We are where we are now. We’re doing what we’re doing now. Because we’re deliberately focusing on it right now, we’re currently more conscious of this present existence. We’re actually present…
For me, the most difficult thing about future events is the shadow they can cast over the intervening days that lead up to them. Awareness of this state of affairs is, however, strangely comforting at the same time - that the most difficult thing about future events isn’t even the events themselves. Given I’ve made…
Tony Otoa is an international lawyer from Uganda and a consultant in the extractives sector. I connected with Tony some time ago on Twitter, where he shares his wisdom on leadership and philosophy, among other topics. He is also a long-time student of Stoicism and applies it intentionally as a philosophy of life. It was…
We all submit to distraction once a while (or perhaps more frequently), that much is obvious. It’s rarely the lovely distraction of a gaze out the window at a vivid sunset, but more likely an altogether less engaged gawp at the glass of a glowing screen. Even without an external prompt, buzz, or beep, we…
How often do you say yes when you really want to say no? Yes to invites. Yes to work proposals. Yes to favour requests. Whatever the “ask” is, agreeing when we’d rather not is a common thing. There can be many reasons for doing it but most of them come down to some kind of…
Daniel Vargas is the creator and host of the Stoic Sage podcast, where he focuses on using past knowledge to empower people of today. The podcast series discusses modern challenges using Stoic wisdom from nearly 2,000 years ago. The goal is to help guide people on "how to think" rather than telling them "what to…
Let’s ask for forgiveness. Let’s ask forgiveness for all those times we have let fear have its way. When we didn’t have the courage to step forward fully and take hold of the great things life was offering. When we didn’t have the courage to make a stand in defense of ourselves or someone else.…
As a practitioner of Stoicism, I’m always looking for ways to cement the Stoic principles into my daily life. I read, absorb, take notes and repeat in order to learn. Then I attempt to practice what I’ve learned by applying the lessons to specific situations and decisions every day. I try to follow the virtuous…
Jon Brooks is the co-owner of the popular HighExistence site, and a thought leader on the modernisation and practical implementation of Stoic philosophy. Through his work with his Stoic Handbook website and podcast, he aims to take ancient, esoteric wisdom and translate it for modern people who seek self-fulfilment. I have been very impressed with…
What is it about our lack of knowledge on a subject that hits us so hard? Why do we get so defensive when we’re exposed as not knowing? “What, you mean you didn’t know that?” “I did! I did know that, I just forgot!” “Yeah, sure you did…” It wasn’t embarrassing before another human brought…