The Daily Stoic: The Vulnerability of Dependence

Show me someone how isn’t a slave! One is a slave to lust, another to greed, another to power, and all are slaves to fear. I could name a former Consul who is a slave to a little old woman, a millionaire who is the slave of the cleaning woman… No servitude is more abject than the self-imposed.

seneca, moral letters, 47.17

It is such a wonderful weather today especially for the month of September. This beautiful bright day is a gift. To honour this gift, I went out with my dog for a run. Running with my dog on this fantastic day made me think about today’s Stoic quote from Ryan Holiday’s and Stephen Hanselman’s The Daily Stoic.

Today’s Stoic quote is from the Moral Letters of Seneca.

Seneca is one of the most well-known proponents of Stoic Philosophy. His philosophical reflections on Stoicisms have come down to us today through his series of letters and essays called the Moral Letters to Lucilius. In his letters, Seneca grapples with the questions on moral problem people live in their daily lives.

When My Evil Twin Brother Called Anxiety Lurks Around: How I Deal with Anxiety

It was not a particularly a pleasing weather that day. It was cold, windy and grey. It poured from time to time. And I was feeling a little bit blue. This weather is a reflection of my mood that day.

My evil twin brother called anxiety is once again lurking around. I can feel his presence. To distract myself, I went out for a run.

While running, I took a different route than I usually do. The road has brought me into this beautiful place I have never been before (see photo above and video bellow). I am so happy with this discovery.That run has really cheered me up.

Anxiety has always been a part of my life. It still is and it will always be. I have already made peace with it. Most of the time, I am ok. But then there are times that – out of the blue – my twin brother will visit me.

5 Reasons Why We Should Make Writing a Part of Our Daily Life

Writing is one of the many important aspect of a Stoic life. Stoics regularly reflect on their thoughts and examine their feelings. They do so by writing their thoughts and feelings on their journal. After all, we organise our thoughts through writing.

I am already an avid diarist even before I have been exposed to this ancient philosophy of Stoicism. My love for writing is perhaps one of the many reasons why Stoicism resonated to me so much. Like the proponents of Stoicism in antiquity, I have also acquired a passion in writing: I just cannot not write.

I imagine Marcus Aurelius waking up early in the morning and writing his meditations as he prepares himself for the day ahead. Or Seneca sitting at his desk and writing about his evaluation of the day that has passed. Both Marcus Aurelius and Seneca are proponents of Stoicism. The former was an emperor while the latter was a politician.

The Daily Stoic: Dealing with Haters

What if someone despises me? Let them see to it. But I will see to it that I won’t be found doing or saying anything contemptible. What if someone hates me? Let them see to that. But I will see to it that I’m kind and good natured to all, and prepared to show even the hater where they went wrong. Not in a critical way, or to show off my patience, but genuinely and usefully

Marcus aurelius, meditations, 11.13

Stoicism teaches us to look inwardly to ourselves and evaluate our thoughts and feelings. And the best way to do this is through keeping a journal. Like many other Stoics, Marcus Aurelius was a prolific diarist.

His writings have been handed down to us, which we now call the Mediations. The above quotation is an extract from his journal.

Being one of the most powerful and important man in his time, it is not too far fetch to think that many would have hated him. After all, no one can please everybody no matter how benevolent a leader might be.