I am a Stoic now.
Kidding aside, this philosophy has grown on me and I keep thinking about it. This little book introduces it quite well. Here are some insights:
- It’s easy to know what Stoic practices are, it’s totally a different game living by them
- It’s not what happens to you, it’s how you react
- Eudaimonia – the condition of human flourishing or of living well
- Areté – “expressing the highest version of yourself in every moment.”
- Wisdom, justice, courage, and self-discipline
- You should be kind or do good because it’s the right thing to do and not because it will benefit you in some way or another.
- We can decide what events mean to us and how we want to react to them.
- Focus on the process.
- Life isn’t supposed to be easy, life is supposed to be challenging to make sure you actually grow.
- Memento mori – remember that you die.
- Negative visualization is an imagination exercise in which you foresee bad stuff happening. It prepares you to stay calm and deal effectively with whatever life will throw at you.
- Rehearse your day in the morning, review your progress in the evening.
- What Would Brian Boitano Do? – Have a role model that is intentionally perfect and try to align your values with his.
- Nothing but opinion is the cause of a troubled mind.
- Getting angry does not help resolve the situation.
- Don’t wish for life to be hard, but neither wish for it to be easier when it gets tough. Rather wish for the strength to deal with it.
- Focus inward.
- Observe.