Stoicism, a philosophical school that originated in Ancient Greece, acts as a guidebook packed with practical and implementable wisdom to live a fuller life. Practiced by Marcus Aurelius, John Stuart Mill, Theodore Roosevelt, and Frederick the Great, stoicism shares a wide historical thread with all the great kings, leaders, artists, writers, presidents, etc
“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.”
Epictetus
In this article, we will understand in detail the basics of stoicism. In addition, we will get a better understanding of the pillars on which the disciples of stoicism rely on. However, I will also share how stoicism helped me become a wellness and health coach. Stay tuned to dive into this pool of personal experiences and life-long learnings.
Unlock the Power of Stoic Lifestyle: Mastering Life’s Challenges with Ancient Wisdom
Stoic lifestyle practice is an age-old wisdom that gives importance to some of the basic and very powerful virtues. It overlays and highlights a mindset shift to enjoy a happier life. It is a philosophy that stood by the test of time and perhaps developed on the fundamentals of self-control, extreme ownership, and discipline. A stoic life does not mean that you must suppress your emotions. However, it simply means that you live life from a logical perspective (focusing more on what can you control).
Stoicism was founded around 300BCE by Athens of Zeno, who started teaching in a Painted Porch, and was later developed by many philosophers like:
| Name of the Philosopher | Contributions to Philosophy of Stoicism |
| Zeno of Citium | Founder of Stoicism-the ancient philosophy |
| Cleanthes | Successor to Zeno, known for his hymn to Zeus |
| Chrysippus | Developed the ethics of Stoicism |
| Seneca | A Roman Philosopher, wrote the Stoic principles |
| Epictetus | A former slave who highlighted the importance of putting attention on what we can and can not control |
| Marcus Aurelius | Roman Emperor, who wrote the central text “Meditations” of the stoic literature |
Embrace Serenity and Strength: The Core Principles of Stoicism
At its core, the stoic practices teach us to live a life with deliberate action by taking ownership of everything. In addition, it teaches that the path to happiness is to live in the present moment and accept it in the way it is and not try to change it in any way. The cardinal values which are emphasized by stoic philosophy are:
- Control – A Double-Edged Sword
- We all want to control everything in our lives. But is it possible? NO. The stoic fundamentals state that we need to categorize, what we can and can not control. Because of this clear segregation, you will add less suffering in your life. Focus on what you can change and accept what will just exist, no matter what.
- Emotional Resilience
- Building mental toughness is a prime theme of a stoic lifestyle. This disciple teaches us amazing techniques to understand and manage emotions to build resilience in the face of adversity. Practices like Premeditatio Malorum (imagining things that could go wrong and be taken from us) are the foundational blocks of stoic living.
- Mindfulness
- Learning to live in the present moment and not dreading what will happen in the future, according to the stoic mindset, is the way forward. Practice to engage fully with the present so that we can respond more effectively to the demands of the life.
- Third Person’s Perspective
- Imbibe the habit of objectivity and thinking from a third person’s perspective. Train your mind to think without attaching emotions. Thus, building a better life starts from changing our perception.
- Harmony with the Nature
- Understand your role in the larger order of things and stop sweating about the little things in life. Act with kindness, help others, and contribute to the common good. Selfish thinking is not in harmony with the laws of nature. We thrive in groups and are co-dependent on one another. Thus, thinking and acting in the collective good is our true nature.
- Virtuous Life
- The virtues of wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance are the base of stoic philosophy. Thus, to lead a different life, drastic mindset changes are a must.
- Embrace Adversity
- Challenges and obstacles are new growth opportunities. Things will feel difficult if you say so. Thus, whatever you say, IS THE TRUTH.
“IF IT IS NOT RIGHT, DO NOT DO IT,
IF IT IS NOT TRUE, DO NOT SAY IT"
What Drove Me to Embrace the Timeless Wisdom: A Journey of Personal Transformation
My introduction to Stoicism came at a time when I was grappling with significant personal and professional challenges. The unpredictability of life, the pressures of changing careers, and pseudo-dead ends, left me feeling overwhelmed and burnt out. In search of a solution, I stumbled upon the writings of Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and Epictetus. Their wisdom resonated deeply within me, and I began to see the potential for Stoicism to reshape my outlook on life, wellness and health. In addition to this, the work of Ryan Holiday on stoicism added a fire in me which boosted me to proceed with a different mindset. The teachings, the core beliefs and the principles of purposeful living helped me build a proactive mindset.
Transformative Insights on Stoicism: Heartfelt Learnings Inspired by Ryan Holiday
Accept your fate: Do not seek for things to happen your way, rather wish that what happens, happens the way it should happen, then you will be happy. These are the words of Epictetus, which are more than relevant today. Embrace hardships, love every opportunity and every hurdle, you have no clue what will come next. Understand: Struggle is a part of existing.
Don’t Complain: You can handle anything if your mind allows you to. There is nothing that will kill you so let us not exaggerate situations and take them for what they are and move towards finding a solution. Complaining will not help anybody so be mature and move on from this petty habit.
Realize that it is not the end of the world: Inculcate the habit to not take anything personally. No body has the time to attack you personally. Yes, I understand that life sucks sometimes but do you stop living? No, you live anyway. Have this motto in life: “This too shall pass. Control how you respond to things”
Don’t just sit there: By not acting, we are consciously giving the remote control of our life to the devil named suffering. Respond rationally to the hardship and find the most virtuous course of action.
Stop torturing yourself: We suffer more in imagination than in real life. You must have heard about this famous quote and it is very true in today’s life. Life is already full of suffering and shit. In addition to this, if you start creating suffering and taking things personally, you are digging your way to hell. Stop deliberately inflicting pain on yourself and be objective in your outlook towards life.
“You must build up your life action by action, and be content if each one achieves its goal as far as possible–and no one can keep you from this. But there will be some external obstacle! Perhaps, but no obstacle to acting with justice, self-control, and wisdom. But what if some other area of my action is thwarted? Well, gladly accept the obstacle for what it is and shift your attention to what is given, and another action will immediately take its place, one that better fits the life you are building.”
– Marcus Aurelius
How Can You Transform Your Life? Harness these 2 powerful reminders
- “MOMENTO MORI”
- The reminder: “You could leave life right now“. The momento mori medallion is a continuous poke to our mind that treat each day as your last and do as much as you can. Thus, it acts as a source of motivation so that you can give more than 100% everyday. The front of the coin has a tulip, a skull and an hourglass. While the back is engraved with the quote.
- “AMOR FATI”
- “A Love of Fate”, is a mindset that embraces every moment rather than avoiding no matter how good or bad it is. The front of the medallion has a flame, inspired by Marcus Aurelius’s wisdom: “A blazing fire makes flame and brightness out of everything that is thrown into it.” The back features an excerpt of the great philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche’s formula for greatness: “Not merely bear what is necessary, still less conceal it….but love it.”
Stoicism is a timeless philosophy that offers a bouquet of practical guidance for leading a fulfilled and resilient life. Whether you are seeking personal growth, emotional resilience, or a deeper understanding of the human experience, Stoicism provides valuable tools and insights to help you on your journey. The journey of embracing Stoicism has been transformative, both for me and for the individuals I have the privilege of coaching. By building resilience, taking ownership, and integrating Stoic principles into my coaching practice, I have witnessed remarkable growth and positive change.
The wisdom of the ancient Stoics continues to guide me, providing a steadfast foundation upon which I can build a life of purpose, meaning, and well-being.
I encourage you all to explore the teachings of Stoicism. Its ancient and lifelong principles hold the potential to enrich your life and empower you to navigate the complexities of the modern world with grace and resilience. All the best, hope this journey is full of learnings for you (as it was for me).