Lives of the Stoics: The Art of Living from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius – Ryan Holiday
Lives of the Stoics is a book written by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman that explores the lives and teachings of various Stoic philosophers, including Zeno, Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius.
The book examines how these philosophers applied Stoic principles to their own lives and provides insights on how to live a more fulfilling and virtuous life through the practice of Stoicism.
Focus on what you can control
Stoicism emphasizes the importance of focusing on what is within our control, such as our own thoughts, actions, and emotions. By accepting what we cannot control and directing our attention towards what we can, we can avoid unnecessary stress and anxiety.
Practice gratitude
The Stoics believed in being grateful for what we have, even when things are tough. By focusing on the good things in our lives, we can cultivate a more positive outlook and feel more content with what we have.
Don’t be a slave to pleasure
The Stoics believed that we should avoid excessive indulgence in pleasure and material goods, and instead focus on moderation and self-control. By living a more balanced life, we can find greater joy and meaning in the things that truly matter.
Build meaningful relationships
The Stoics believed that building strong connections with others was an important part of living a fulfilling life. By nurturing our relationships with loved ones, friends, and community members, we can find greater happiness and a sense of belonging.
Embrace discomfort
Stoics encourage us to embrace discomfort and push ourselves to grow and learn from challenging experiences. By facing adversity head-on, we can become more resilient and confident in our ability to handle whatever comes our way.
Remember your mortality
The Stoics believed that contemplating our own mortality could help us live more fully in the present. By recognizing that our time on earth is limited, we can focus on what really matters and make the most of every moment.
Cultivate self-awareness
Stoicism emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in recognizing our own flaws and weaknesses, so we can work on improving ourselves. By knowing ourselves better, we can make better decisions and live more fulfilling lives.
Accept change
The Stoics believed that change is inevitable, and we should learn to accept it instead of resisting it. By embracing change, we can find new opportunities for growth and discovery.
You owe it to yourself and to the world to actively engage with the brief moment you have with this planet. You cannot retreat exclusively into ideas. You must contribute.
When the student is ready, the old Zen saying goes, the teacher appears
Strive for virtuous action
Stoics emphasized the importance of living in accordance with our values and principles. By striving to do the right thing, even when it’s difficult, we can feel a sense of inner peace and fulfillment.
Face your fears
Stoics encourage us to confront our fears head-on rather than avoid them. By facing our fears, we can become more confident and resilient and discover new strengths and abilities we didn’t know we had.
A wise man can make use of whatever comes his way, he said, but is in want of nothing. “On the other hand,” he said, “nothing is needed by the fool, for he does not understand how to use anything, but he is in want of everything.” There is no better definition of a Stoic: to have but not want, to enjoy without needing.
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