Understand the history and essence of Stoicism, as well as its practical ways to apply it in daily activities like coping with stress, achieving resilience, and living a balanced, ethical life.
Worry, uncertainty, and emotional chaos are all trademarks of our modern environment but the ancient philosophy of Stoicism seems to bring a practical solution to life. In modern times where change is ever constant, Stoicism has endured the litmus test of time, with ancient Greece serving as the birthplace of its origins over 2000 years ago. Stoicism has served as the backbone behind the ideas of great thinkers like Aurelius and Seneca and even modern day intellectuals such as Ryan Holiday. With life becoming increasingly complex, stoicism teaches how to develop powerful traits such as resilience, emotional control, and inner peace.
It should be noted that Stoicism is not a means to numb one’s self. Instead it teaches how to gain control over emotions while staying focused on what can be controlled. This article aims to delve deeper into the core principles and the history of Stoicism while also offering insightful teachings on how to lead a well balanced life.
The Origins and History of Stoicism
The roots of Stoicism trace its foundational principles back to ancient Greece, more specifically Athens. Around 300 BCE Zeno of Citium founded it and it took mainstream attention when Zeno began teaching his philosophy at a place known as Stoa Poikile or Peeinted Porch. Following a tragic loss of fortune because of a ship wreck, Zeno wanted to turn his life around and turned towards philosophy as a teacher, gaining notoriety in teaching.
The Stoic philosophy was later expanded upon and popularized by three key figures:
Marcus Aurelius was the Roman Emperor whose personal reflections in the text “Meditations” is considered one of the most important pieces of writing in the Stoic tradition.
Seneca was a Roman statesman and an advisor to Emperor Nero. He wrote letters and essays in which he gives practical advice on how to live a Stoic life.
Epictetus was a former slave who eventually became one of the most important Stoic philosophers because of his teachings on self-discipline and self-acceptance.
Stoicism flourished during the Roman Empire, marking an era where its influence could be felt the most, and its impact is still visible in self-help literature, psychology, leadership, and various domains today.
Fundamental aspects of Stoicism
As is the case with any principles, there are a number of guiding ones which shape how a Stoic approaches different situations in life:
- Dichotomy of control
A distinguishing feature of the Stoic philosophy is the separation of aspects which are within a person’s control, and those which are not.
“We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.” -Seneca
What is in a person’s control: Their thoughts, actions, and attitudes.
What is outside of a person’s control: The actions of other people, external circumstances, and nature.
According to the Stoics, energy should be exclusively reserved for what is within someone’s control while being graceful toward what isn’t.
- Living in Accordance with Nature
Everything matters with life. To the Stoics, the ultimate happiness comes from the world around them when they lived in accordance with nature and reason, which makes sense. Humans exercise virtue, justice, and order correctly which leads to living in synch with the universe.
“Nature has given us two ears, two eyes, and but one tongue— to the end that we should hear and see more than we speak.” Epictetus
This allows them to live alongside nature while observing the four stoic principles:
Wisdom: Making decisions that are rational and logical.
Courage: Dealing and accepting difficulty with mental comfort.
Justice: Showing politesse to other people’s feelings and being honest.
Temperance: Having restraint and control.
- Amor Fati (Love Your Fate)
A Stoic teaching that remains is one does not only need to possess acceptance of what occurs in life but desire and appreciate the circumstance for how it assists in personal development. It is known as Amor Fati or love of fate.
“A blazing fire makes flame and brightness out of everything that is thrown into it.” Mark Aurelius
The welcoming of challenges is as an opportunity to improve one’s character. This empowers and transforms obstacles into power sources while it creates a barrier.
- Memento Mori (Remember You Will Die)
Like all human beings, Stoics had an appreciation for death, sometimes even overthinking it. This did not automatically shift to negative thinking, but rather encouraged a more constructive approach to living.
“You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.” – Marcus Aurelius
Death need not possess a pessimistic flavor. Instead, it allows Stoics to free themselves from overthinking and direct their focus towards things that require good attention. For more Can These Powerful Stoic Principles Transform Your Life?
Modern Life Applications of Stoicism
Ancient philosophies are rarely given attention in the current society, but the ancient Greeks certainly had an effective way of dealing problems– Stoicism. Here are a few ways in which Stoicism can be utilized effectively:
Handling Stress and Anxiety
Achieving a work/life balance while filtering through an ever-growing sea of information can be challenging. By utilizing Stoicism, you can turn your attention towards managing stress through control.
Remember, if something is not in your control, do not give it the attention it does not deserve.
Rather, turn your attention towards actions and interventions because they are always fundamental.
When dealing with stressful situations, stop and ask yourself:
“Is this within my control?”
If your answer is no, accept it and move on.
Building Resilience and Emotional Control
External stimuli does not produce emotions, it is our opinions and ideas that allow us to feel the emotions. This is one of the teachings of stoicism that can help glass half-full people strive.
When you lose a job, the principle of distress suggesting that “a death is painful” does not apply because the issue is not the event but how you interpret it. Understanding the event differently helps you frame it within the positive. Finding an opportunity within negativity gives you resilience and emotional balance. Improving Decision Making The Stoics heavily promoted wisdom as not only a virtue, but as a primary skill required in decision making. Before you make a decision, ask yourself if it can be justified by virtue and reason. Do not make decisions based on emotions or impulse. Self-awareness combined with rationality leads to wiser decisions and less regret.
Strengthening Relationships Stoicism teaches to treat justice and kindness towards all. Understand that actions do not come out of a vacuum. Cultivate the ability to respond without anger when provoked. “”Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself.” – Marcus Aurelius Practicing compassion and emotional control leads to stronger relationships. Criticism and Misconceptionsto About Stoicism Difficult situations shape understanding along with gaining popularity within stoicism. Distant and cold are some misconceptions people associate with this philosophy. Stoicism promotes logic as a core value which leads some opponents to claim that it endorses emotional disconnection while shutting the door on human interaction.
But the main point of Stoicism is not to give up all feelings. True Stoics do not abandon emotions; they seek to govern their feelings. They still want to ensure they are not imprisoned by feelings. In this case, the best course of action for a Stoic is to experience feelings such as joy, love, and sadness, while possessing the ability to respond rationally.
Some would counter this by saying that Stoicism allows for inaction in the face of evil. But even the most passive of Stoic teachings makes it clear that we have a civil and moral obligation to do good and to fight evil, no matter how many factors and uncertainties are involved in the consequences.
Stoicism remains one of the theories concerning humanity that has shown to have a practical and real-life use to over time. It is the teachings from Stoicism regarding the dichotomy of control, virtue, and resilience that serve as guidance on how to deal with problems modern societies have to face. Absolute peace can be experienced through the effective governing of thoughts and actions, directed only towards that which is controllable, and accepting uncertainties of life with grace to reveal a true strength.
As Marcus Aurelius reminds us, here is a quote that I really find profound and one that resonates deeply with me.
“Your mind is powerful, and you are your own place of strength. Strength does not come from what happens outside; Rather, it is about realizing your own area of influence.”
Stoicism in this case teaches us that by changing how we approach the world, we can straightforwardly reach freedom. By taking charge of all elements concerning our persona, the answer to happiness, fulfillment, and contentment is finally uncovered.