In letters from a stoic 52, Seneca discusses two types of men who are in their path to becoming the best version of themselves - one who needs help from mentors and one who can do it by himself. He said that men who can do the latter are “first class” while the former “second grade”. I think almost everyone belongs to the second grade because even Seneca…
Stoicism (capital S) is different from stoicism (small s). For the purpose of this article, we will call the former capital Stoicism and the latter small stoicism. Capital Stoicism refers to the ancient school of philosophy that teaches several strategies and techniques to prevent the onset of negative emotions and extinguish them as soon as they appear. Small stoicism, on the other hand, refers to the “bottling” of…
In letters from a stoic 51, Seneca talks about the importance of living in a place that’s far from vices but one that should enhance our character instead. “We ought to select abodes which are wholesome not only for the body but also for the character... We ought to see to it that we flee to the greatest possible distance from provocations to vice.” He mentioned several…
Insult stings. It can take in a lot of forms including physical (slapping and punching), verbal (intrusive jokes), and facial expressions (raised eyebrow). Regardless of its form, it disturbs our peace of mind and therefore a hindrance to our happiness. So how do we deal with an insult? In this article, we will explore 3 and if necessary 4 steps approach on how to deal with put-downs from…
In letters from a stoic 50, Seneca begins with his usual reminder of the importance of improving oneself every day. He further adds that faults cannot be attributed to external circumstances, only to ourselves. “For what else are you busied with except improving yourself every day, laying aside some error, and coming to understand that the faults which you attribute to circumstances are in yourself?” …