Stoicism: 3 Lessons You Can Learn
Human beings are driven by their natural desire to be happy and fulfilled. Today’s uncertain and complex world makes that a challenge. As we get older, it’s becoming harder to predict whether or not we’ll have any worthwhile and satisfying memories to reminisce about in the future.
Perhaps that’s why so many of us are turning to Stoicism — a philosophy of the past that’s making a spectacular comeback in the present day.
How then could a beginner Stoic get off to a good start? Could there be a few simple ways?
WHAT IS STOICISM?
This school of thought dates back to the 3rd century BCE in Athens and is based on Hellenistic philosophy. By the 2nd century BCE, Stoicism had reached Rome, where it flourished and was popularized by Cicero, Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius.
In addition to teaching us how to live well and become better people, Stoicism also teaches us how we can survive tough times without losing sight of our ideals. In my opinion, a beginner should adopt the following ethos as a core belief in Stoic philosophy:
1. Power comes from the mind
According to the Stoics, knowledge is derived from rational perception. Self-awareness is like knowing our mind is our power. We could make ourselves content with our surroundings if we could only realize that we are capable of controlling our minds.
The only way to manipulate our emotions and experiences is to control our minds and not our surroundings. We will not be affected by external circumstances if our minds are focused on our desired state.
2. Embrace the moment
Often, as we look back on our past or dream of the future, we forget to be present in the here and now. We let worries, responsibilities, and tensions distract us from living in the present.
Our minds never let us fully savor the moment and the place we are in. People who strive to improve their mental health will not be compelled to do this. It’s incredible how these people have been able to appreciate every moment of their life for as long as they can recall it and be fully aware of all the things around them.
3. Rethink Failure
We associate failure with negativity. Yet it shouldn’t be viewed as such. We can find inspiration in failing as long as we can bounce back and move forward to try again if we know how to do so. Only after a few failures, whether minor or severe, can we genuinely enjoy success.
This Stoic way of thinking can be a great guide to help us identify the changes we need to make in our way of thinking and routines to lead the life we would like to. The Stoics believe that by following these principles, we can open our minds and see that we are capable of so much more than we realize.
We all want a comfortable and happy life and believe that the best way to achieve that is to work hard to reach our full potential.
Take a moment to reflect on that.
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