I was re-reading Seneca’s On Providence this morning. I’ve read it a bunch of times before, but it hit hard again. Every time I feel complacent or start complaining too much, I go back to the Stoics. They remind me of something I’ve always felt: Hardship is […]| Darius Foroux
The Cardinal Virtues – justice, temperance, prudence, and fortitude – are sometimes known as the pagan virtues. This is because before Christianity, the Greek and Roman civilizations saw them as the foundation of all other virtues, great and small.| Catholic Stand
Photo by Jonathan Kemper on UnsplashThis article describes a general framework for self-improvement that I employ in coaching. It’s based on Stoicism and third-wave cognitive-behavioural ther…| Donald J. Robertson
Reading Time: 3minutesFocus on What You Control We spend so much energy stressing over things we can’t control—traffic jams, canceled flights, rude comments. The Stoics warned us 2,000 years ago that this is wasted effort. They taught that freedom comes from focusing only on what is within our control. They divided everything in life into two categories: ... Read more The post From Anger to Calm: Practicing Stoicism with ‘Let Them, Let Me’ appeared first on Original Mac Guy.| Original Mac Guy
In my ongoing series about The Questions We Don’t Ask – And Why They Matter, I decided to answer this question: If you conclude that the afterlife you believe in isn’t real, how would you alter the…| Thoughts about leadership, history, and more
And thus the native hue of resolutionIs sicklied o’er with the pale cast of thought,And enterprises of great pith and momentWith this regard their currents turn awry,And lose the name of acti…| Donald J. Robertson
The moment you expect the world to care about your inner life, you set yourself up to be angry, confused, and stuck. Most of life is a trade. Time for money. Skill for opportunity. Trust for results. Many things in life are not like that […]| Darius Foroux
In this episode, I chat with Shermin Kruse. Shermin is a globally recognized negotiation consultant, law professor at Northwestern University’s Pritzker School of Law, and TEDx producer. She …| Donald J. Robertson
In each separate thing that you do, consider the matters which come first and those which follow after, and only then approach the thing itself. Otherwise, at the start you will come to it enthusiastically, because you have never reflected upon any of the subsequent steps, but later on, when some difficulties appear, you will […]| Donald J. Robertson
The clenched fist is a universal symbol of determination as well as of aggressive tension. — Calvert Stein, ‘Clenched fist as a hypno behavioural procedure’, 1963 Many years ago, I used to teach an old conditioning technique introduced by the behaviour therapist Calvert Stein, in the early 1960s. Stein had his clients clench the fist […]| Donald J. Robertson
Towards that for the sake of which each being has been constituted and for which it was made, towards that it strives; now in what it strives towards, there resides its end; and where its end lies, there also lies its specific advantage and good. It follows that the good of a rational being must […]| Donald J. Robertson
Just as a mark is not set up in order to be missed, so neither does the nature of evil arise in the universe. Commentary The Stoics believed that the universe was created by Providence and that nothing in nature could therefore be evil when considered in relation to the whole because everything exists by […]| Donald J. Robertson
This currently requires a subscription but if you’re on Substack, you might be interested in checking out my conversation with below. The episode is available on the Waking Up app, along with my audio course on Stoicism. (Free trials are available.) Stay tuned for news of my forthcoming AMA on Waking Up. Claim your Free […]| Donald J. Robertson
I created this 14 page illustrated PDF handbook, with the help of two graphic designers. It connametains an overview of some of the main characters, events, and practical exercises, from my new book, and everyone is welcome to download a copy. How to Think Like Socrates is now available in hardback, ebook, and audiobook formats […]| Donald J. Robertson
I recently had this conversation with Chris Williamson about Socrates, for his Modern Wisdom podcast. Hope you enjoy listening. Please share the link with your friends! Highlights| Donald J. Robertson
We’re already receiving some very useful data from the form below, which will help us design more refined protocols for testing. If you’re interested in learning to cope with anger, ple…| Donald J. Robertson
"As long as there was coffee in the world, how bad could things be?" - Cassandra Clare| Makoism
Discover what Marcus Aurelius meant by “Self-reliance, always. And Cheerfulness.” Learn how to apply Stoic self-reliance in modern life with practical tips and timeless wisdom.| Via Stoica
Memento mori reminds us how to use death as a motivator for life. If you could wave a magic wand and spend the rest of your life doing anything you wanted, what would it be? You don’t have a magic wand, but you do have the present moment. What will you do today to live a more meaningful life?| Corey Wilks, Psy.D.
Stoic Wisdom for Managing Anxiety We are currently inundated with perspectives and opinions that are presented as fact. While this is due to many factors, you could certainly blame the| Craemer Consulting
While on a military campaign which started in 170 and ended in 180, Marcus Aurelius1 wrote his Meditations in Greek for his own guidance and self-development. The original title of the work, if it had one, is unknown. ‘Meditations’ – as well as other titles including ‘To Himself’ – were adopted later. He had a logical mind, and his notes were representative of Stoic philosophy and spirituality.| Jayson Salazar Rodriguez | @jdsalaro | Blog
Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.| Jayson Salazar Rodriguez | @jdsalaro | Blog
In his thirteenth letter1, “On groundless fears”, Seneca the Younger2 writes to Lucilius about, predictably, human fear and how we, often without sufficient grounds, are affraid of that which is yet to come.| Jayson Salazar Rodriguez | @jdsalaro | Blog
In the third volume, chapter XXIII §1, of his discourses compiled by Arrian1, Epictetus2 gives his advice “to those who read and discuss for the purpose of display”.| Jayson Salazar Rodriguez | @jdsalaro | Blog
"A yawn is a silent scream for coffee" - Unknown| Makoism
The Enchiridion by Epictetus, a classic text of Stoicism, starts with this fundamental idea: Focus on what you control.| Darius Foroux
When you think of philosophy, do you think of stuffy academics and boring concepts that, for the most part, are of little relevance to your daily life? Meet the ancient Greek and Roman philosophers who will challenge your notions of philosophy and see what they can teach you as you go about your life today.| Shinjini Mehrotra
Stoicism is a philosophy of two halves: A philosophical world... The post A Guide to the 4 Stoic Virtues: The Greek Path To A Good Life appeared first on Orion Philosophy.| Orion Philosophy
I first found a definition for Stoicism and Stoic philosophy by chance around 15 years ago when I picked up a copy of Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous| Orion Philosophy
"I don't make changes to confuse anyone. I'm just searching. That's what causes me to change. I'm just searching for myself." - David Bowie| Makoism
2 | The Stand Up Philosophers
SENECA the Younger was, in philosophical orientation, a Roman Stoic. But it seems fair to say his was an eclectic Stoicism. (For example, one of the philosophers he quotes most often was Epicurus, the founder of Epicureanism.) This letter to his friend Lucilius discusses a divine spirit within us, functioning as some combination of Higher […]| Christian Platonism
Endless articles and innumerable campaigns have been devoted to helping men cry, ending the phrase “man up” and, above all, getting men to talk.| Quillette
