After hearing author Ryan Holiday on a podcast, I was intrigued with his knowledge of Stoicism and just how the philosophy aligned with my core values. After purchasing The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living and Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius I decided to document my journey. Here I will share my anecdote while learning and reflecting on Stoicism and how I plan to apply it to my life.
“If a person gave away your body to some passerby, you'd be furious. Yet you hand over your mind to anyone who comes along, so they may abuse you, leaving it disturbed and troubled — have you no shame in that?”
- Epictetus, Enchiridion, 28
“Heraclitus called self-deception an awful disease and eyesight a lying sense.”
- Diogenes Laertius, Lives Of The Eminent Philosophers, 9.7
“In public avoid talking often and excessively about your accomplishments and dangers, for however much you enjoy recounting your dangers, it's not so pleasant for others to hear about your affairs.”
- Epictetus, Enchiridion, 33.14
“So, concerning the things we pursue, and for which we vigorously exert ourselves, we owe this consideration — either there is nothing useful in them, or most aren't useful. Some of them are superfluous, while others aren't worth that much. But we don't discern this and see them as free, when they cost us dearly.”
- Seneca, Moral Letters, 42.6
“The person is free who lives as they wish, neither compelled, nor hindered, nor limited — whose choices aren't hampered, whose desires succeed, and who don't fall into what repels them. Who wishes to live in deception — tripped up, mistaken, undisciplined, complaining, in a rut? No one. These are base people who don't live as they wish; and so, no base person is free.”
- Epictetus, Discourses, 4.1.1-3a
“These things don't go together. You must be a unified human being, either good or bad. You must diligently work either on your own reasoning or on things out of your control — take great care with the inside and not what's outside, which is to say, stand with the philosopher, or else with the mob!”
- Epictetus, Discourses, 3.15.13