5 Ways You Can Apply Stoicism Right Now
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” — Marcus Aurelius
The ideas conveyed by the ancient Stoics have found new life in recent years. More and more people are discovering how Stoicism is not only relevant to modern times, but can be applied in very simple, yet strong ways.
1. Keeping stress at bay
“You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations.
Marcus is reminding us of something we all know to be true deep inside. We are in control of our mind. When we have control over our mood, outside factors like stress can only affect us if we allow it to do so.
Application: Take a few minutes and write down everything that may be causing you stress. Divide them into two columns. In the first column write down everything you can control , in the other things you can not control. Concentrate on what you can control, and get some forward movement going. Do not waste time on anything from that second column.
2. Don’t let anger bully you
“If a man is angry, let us give him time to come to realize what he has done: he will be his own critic.” — Seneca, on Anger
Anger is a tough one. It is very easy to say to yourself “I will not let myself get angry”, but much harder to employ it day-to-day. Seneca is putting anger into a perspective here that I believe is very useful.
Application: When we get angry, most of the time, we lash out and do or say things we will likely regret. After we have calmed down we often feel ashamed or stupid for letting ourselves get so consumed with our anger. Instead, we can meditate on how we can use his energy for something more productive. There is no way to never feel anger, but we can control how it effects us.
3. Dealing with difficult people
“Begin each day by telling yourself: Today I shall be meeting with interference, ingratitude, insolence, disloyalty, ill-will, and selfishness — all of them due to the offenders’ ignorance of what is good or evil.” — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
This is one of my favorites. Marcus is reminding himself, and all of us, that every day holds the possibility of running into difficult people. Although it is common, we can choose how to deal with them.
Application: Do the right thing, for that is always the right thing. We cannot influence how people think or act, but when you find yourself in a run-in with one of these difficult people, make a deliberate decision to be true to yourself and your values. Let them see that nothing they do can influence you to change your character, compromise your own values, or lose your temper. Show them the best version of yourself and become an example for them to learn from.
4. Use the obstacles in your life
“The obstacle in the path becomes the path. Never forget, within every obstacle is an opportunity to improve our condition.” — Ryan Holiday, The Obstacle is the Way
In his book, Ryan gives countless examples of how people throughout history have not only overcome their personal obstacles but actually were able to use them to their advantage.
Application: We all have our own obstacles, things in our way, holding us back. We have the power to decide what to do when we encounter one. Maybe you want to switch careers but you feel like you are too old. There are many continuing education options available in our modern world. Use your maturity, wisdom, and experience to help drive you to succeed in furthering your education, get that degree or certification, and go after that career. The obstacle of your age has now been flipped to work with you instead of against you.
5. Learn how to fail
“Does what’s happened keep you from acting with justice, generosity, self-control, sanity, prudence, honesty, humility, straightforwardness, and all other qualities that allow a person’s nature to fulfill itself? So remember this principle when something threatens to cause you pain: the thing itself was no misfortune at all; to endure it and prevail is great good fortune.” — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
We have all failed, and will fail again. It is what we do next that matters. Too often we get into a loop where we convince ourselves that if we have failed before, we will continue to do so. This is not a healthy state of mind to be stuck in. There is always a lesson in any failure, big or small.
Application: Do not allow yourself to be surprised by failure, if it does happen, embrace it. Understand you can learn valuable lessons from it. Use it to help you progress rather than let it stop you in your tracks. Failures do not impede your progress unless you allow them to. Focus on the big picture. Did you fail a test at school? Ok, learn from it, shake it off and move on. When you graduate, the person handing you that diploma is not going to ask you what you got on that one test at the beginning of the semester — they are going to shake your hand and congratulate you for graduating.
