Thoughts of a travelling Stoic

Looking out the window of the train I’m taking to Alnmouth, England, to visit the famous Barter Books bookshop in Alnwick, it occurs to me that Stoicism and travel are good bedfellows. This thought is occurring to me because moments ago, as I waited on platform 8 at the Newcastle train station, there was a platform change for my train, this train, to Alnmouth.

I panicked. Why had it been changed so suddenly? Why wasn’t it announced? Was it possible my Google Maps app was wrong, and the departures screen I had looked at earlier was correct? Maybe I read it wrong? Am I going to miss this train? Are my hopes of visiting Barter Books and the charming village of Alnwick all dashed!?

Of course not. Not least because neither the bookshop nor the village were going anywhere anytime soon.

When you travel alone, even to a country where you speak the language, this sort of feeling is common – especially in situations where timing is important; like when you have to get on the correct train, from the correct platform, at the correct time.

Stoicism isn’t really about emotional management, but…

I struggle with the idea that Stoicism is about controlling emotions because, ultimately, what Stoicism is about is the attainment of true Wisdom, such that the emotions we have are only the positive ones (joy, love, etc.) and none of the negative ones (anger, fear, etc.). That said, while management of emotions isn’t the point, it is a skill we acquire as Stoic prokoptôn working toward sagehood because, as students, we imitate the Sage as we cannot yet be the Sage. This imitation results in a practice of emotional management.

Three tips to keep your cool With that in mind, and while I’m not prone to Stoicism-as-a-Lifehack sort of writing, I’m going to step outside my normal writing style in this issue because, so long as you understand that mere emotional management isn’t the point of Stoicism, which you should if you’ve been following my writing for long enough, I feel you’ll find a Stoicism-inspired travel article interesting. So, without further ado, here are my three tips for “travelling Stoically”.

Tip 1: Pay for flexibility

I’m all for the idea that a missed travel arrangement should never be upsetting but, as none of us are likely to reach sagehood, missed travel arrangements will almost always be upsetting. Rather than scolding ourselves for not being Stoic enough, I think it’s better that we build in a few safety nets so that we’re not presented with the worst case scenario immediately upon one missed beat of our travel plans.

For instance, had I missed the train in Newcastle, it would have been fine because, in alignment with Tip 1, I paid for an “anytime” ticket. Paying those extra dollars for this sort of flexibility (when possible), even if we feel it presses our budget a bit, is a smart move because the alternative is, perhaps, an unexpected (and costly) stay at a local hotel or the purchase of a whole new ticket.

Tip 2: Pay for traveller’s insurance

There are few things more unsettling, more warranting of a travel meltdown, than getting sick in a country where you don’t understand the healthcare system or in an environment where you’re miles away from civilization. In 2011, when I participated in a humanitarian mission to Haiti, I experienced my first bout of hiatal spasms while at a remote compound in Petit Goave. It was scary.

Traveller’s insurance provides healthcare coverage and emergency medical evacuation for very little money. You may never need it but, if you do, it will be much easier to keep your composure during an unforeseen medical event if you have support and a plan.

Tip 3: Carry power banks

Our phones are our lifelines, our maps, our connection to resources, our everything when travelling. The panic of a phone approaching a 0% charge when we’re still 30-miles from our hotel, hostel, or host home, is near-unparalleled. When you pack your daypack, never have fewer than two fully-charged power banks.

Maintaining prosochè (focus on your Stoic practice) is much harder when it’s getting dark, the last bus home is due in 10 minutes, and your phone dies, leaving you with no navigation app to guide you to the bus stop.

These rules don’t make you a Stoic.

But they might make it easier to maintain a Stoic practice when things don’t go right on your next (or first!) big adventure. Safe travels, and take care out there.

Tanner is the host of the Practical Stoicism podcast, co-author of the Daily Stoic Journaling program, and owner of Practical Philosophy. He considers himself a "Stoicism Communicator" by trade and creates daily education content related to both Stoicism and philosophy in general.

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