The Stoic Magazine Library

Yes, things will happen in life that you cannot plan for. Things will look bleak. You will be disappointed by others. You will feel like life has treated you unfairly. You will be angry, sad, and frustrated. You can even feel bouts of despair. Yet, with a Stoic resolve, you will come through troubling experiences with a sense of calmness.

Virtues present me with endless opportunities to keep practicing and to work on my life in ways that are measured and focused.

Even if we fail to apply Stoic doctrine and associated virtues, there’s always another situation lurking for us to do so. We brush ourselves off and try again. That’s what being a real Stoic is all about.

This idea is at the heart of Stoicism: true happiness comes from living a virtuous life. Unlike fleeting pleasures or material success, virtue provides lasting fulfillment, regardless of external circumstances.

You are your choices. When you look back on the tapestry of your life – would you prefer it to have been coloured by the muted tones of comfort and convenience, or the strong hues of a consistent character?

To be at peace, truly at peace, we need to do a better job of living the virtuous life.

One might even speculate that if Epictetus were the only Stoic author whose works had survived from antiquity, we might get the idea that virtue was only one of a number of important concepts for the Stoics, rather than being an absolutely central one.

The Stoic path to understanding is not jumping to conclusions.

Practicing any new philosophy is not easy. So it is natural to look for a supportive environment when we practice a philosophy like Stoicism. But not everyone around us may share our enthusiasm. People close to us, like our family members and friends, maybe indifferent to our practice, may think it is weird, make fun of us, and even be hostile. How do we navigate around this?

How to Think Like Socrates: Ancient Philosophy as a Way of Life in the Modern World by Donald Robertson is a wonderful guide to Socratic thinking.

It’s not my job to evangelize – nor to convert. My responsibility is to do as Marcus suggests, and to be content with the interruptions, diversions, and obstacles.

Practicing Stoicism in a world that may not always understand or appreciate it is, in itself, an act of resilience. It is an opportunity to put Stoic principles to the test, to strengthen one’s character, and to remain unwavering in the pursuit of virtue.

Whether it is by showing kindness to those in suffering, or by going toe to toe with those who cause it, we do what we can not because it will fix the world’s problems, but because it is the right thing to do.