Eesha’s Early Excerpt - Stoicism and How it will Change your Life.

Stoicism and How it will Change your Life.

“It does not matter what you bear, but how you bear it” - Seneca

Stoicism is a practice started by Zeno of Cyprus. He was a wealthy merchant but lost all of his worldly possessions in a shipwreck at sea in Athens. He was stranded with no more than books and resources to study. He became intrigued by the stories of Socrates. He created the philosophy of Stoicism and taught his students virtue and tolerance. In the modern-day, a stoic is a man who bears no extreme emotion and remains calm under pressure. There are four tenets to stoicism that reign joy over those who take charge and advocate for change in their own life. Practical wisdom, temperance, justice, and courage. These are the basic morals followed by stoics who desire happiness in their day to day lives. Today I will show three stoic lessons that will change the lens that you view life through and will transform you into being a better person.

1. “It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters” - Epictetus

When we are faced with an event, it is the fact, however it is followed by the perspective that we throw on to it. This cover-up, this fake story, that we tell ourselves is what feeds to the emotion that provokes our reaction. To reiterate in life there is the event, then there is the story that we tell ourselves, and that is what actually produces an emotion. So we need to change that story and we need to stop telling ourselves lies. It will immediately grant us the happiness we desire. We won’t be drawn into this fake phenomenon that our mind has drawn. For instance, two men wait at a bus stop and hear that the bus will now be an hour late. One man begins throwing a fit, and complaining that his time is getting wasted. He concludes that he will be late to his destitation and the bus is entirely at fault. The other man thinks of it as an opportunity to self-reflect and to take a few moments for himself. Both men are hearing the exact same story but are convincing themselves of something different. One man is walking out of this situation with his energy and time wasted on getting furious at the bus, and the other is walking out with greater clarity and a better start to his day than he would have had. Clearly, humans tend to add a layer of false information to every story and it is what causes the following emotion, not the actual event itself. So take sometime before you react, and understand if it is the actual story or if it is something you have told yourself and that is what you are reacting off of. This can immediately change your vision, save us energy, and avoid us from unnecessary trouble.

1. “Do not act as if you were going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over you. While you live, While it is in your power, be good.” - Marcus Auerlius

Most stoics argue that we need to come to terms with the fact that death is inevitable and it can hit us at any second. However, don’t get depressed by this fact. Rather think of it in a way to push you to make everyday count. End everyday proud and feeling accomplished with yourself that day. We often think that we have a tomorrow, but we need to do what can be done today, today. This is a key stoic mentality that can change the way you work and immediately produces results.

1. “Let us postpone nothing. Let us balance life’s account every day… One who daily puts the finishing touches to his life is never in want of time” - Seneca, Moral Letters to Lucilus

Journaling. We have heard it many times. But it is true. When you wak up your mind is filled with chaos and writing them down is an immediate source of clarity. You free yourself from any burdens you felt you had, and can efficiently prepare for the day you have ahead of you and make it the most productive it can be. At night grab that journal again and reflect upon your day. Did you get everything that you needed to done? This sort of reflection can better yourself and will provide a better sense of direction for every day that you live.

For the next seven days, I will be diligently following these morals and diving into the effects and outcomes of my general well-being. I strongly urge that you yourself should as well. Thank you friends and I will see you next sunday.