The Stoic Magazine Library

There’s a persistent myth that we Stoics suppress our emotions and are impaired in our ability to feel and express love – that our approach to life is, who cares? We know that’s not true.  

Stoics care. But sometimes, we need to know our limits.

I’ve seen first-hand the various methods of caring for others. My mother worked as a caregiver to the elderly for several years, and through our discussions, I got a sense of the mindset differences that different workers adopt. 

According to the Stoics, the universe is in a permanent flux: It constantly keeps changing: days change, seasons change, there are floods, there are storms. We are constantly changing. Our life circustances are changing: we are born, get married, bring up children, get sick, get well, and then die. Nothing stays the same for long.

The word “mindfulness” isn’t one often associated with Stoicism; Buddhism seems to take the stage in this regard. However, in practice, Stoics are incredibly mindful. I would go so far as to say that one cannot be a Stoic without practicing mindfulness. This article will explain what mindfulness is in Stoicism and give some practices that you can implement in your daily life.

It is up to me to make the most of my days. When anxiety, trivia, and reality TV shows threaten to make my mind full, I become mindful instead. Instead of rushing through things, I slow down. I go deep on one thing instead of scattering my attention across a dozen things.