Stoic Wisdom For Better Mental Health
Epicteus, Seneca, Marcus Aurelius. The voices of these grand men from the past are gaining more and more popularity in our modern days, giving rebirth to stoic philosophy.
And at the first glance, one may wonder what we, modern people, can learn from grand antique thinkers from Ancient Greece and Rome. However, at a closer look, the thoughts and voices of stoic philosophers have carefully travelled in time to reach us at a vital point in our existence. Because nowadays many of us live in a never before seen paradox: we, as modern people, have never had so many opportunities and possibilities to thrive as we have available now, and never has the living standard been higher for the majority of the world, yet so many of us experience stress, depression, anxiety and existential crises.
Turns out, pieces of antique wisdom, preserved to survive more than 2000 years of human history can teach us valuable lessons and give us profound tools to strengthen our mental health, refresh the way we approach things in our life and elevate our sense of freedom, inner peace and fulfillment in life.
Stoic Principles For Better Life
Stoicism is more than a philosophical doctrine; it’s a way of life that emphasizes self-awareness, and offers a grounding perspective on how to approach and navigate the world we live in. This ancient philosophy offers many insights and pieces of advice, such as:
Practice mindfulness of the present moment, because all we ever have is “now”
Reframe obstacles in your life as opportunities for growth and learning
Success is to do the right thing, living virtuously and with purpose
Live according to and in harmony with nature
Cultivate gratitude and resilience by appreciating life's blessings and facing challenges with courage
However, chief among the timeless wisdom of stoicism is emphasis on the power of differentiating between what we can and cannot control, urging us to focus our energy on the former. In fact, let’s take a deeper dive into this incredible tool and perspective that is hugely beneficial for our modern mental health.
Inside Our Monkey Mind
Have you ever paid attention to what thoughts circle around in your mind when you are not occupied by a task? Given our brain’s fascinating nature and number one job to keep us “safe and alive” it automatically generates thoughts that dwell on the moments of the past or anxiously worry about the future, forming our default way of thinking in moments of wakeful rest to keep us alert and prepared.
Also worries about things that can go wrong, other people’s opinions, things that have gone wrong, comparisons and things that we “have to” be doing seem to find their way to the center stage of our mind without us having to lift a finger, stealing precious time and mental energy, encaging us in anxiety, excessive worries and victimhood. All even more enhanced by the modern presence of social media, fast everyday pace and modern performance culture. Did you know that studies show that we fluctuate between past and future, and the full spectrum of worries and fears approximately 50% of our awake time, draining our mental energy resources?
Focus On What You Can Control
The core pillar of stoicism is encouragement to place our focus on what we can control, while letting go of the attachment to outcomes outside our sphere of control, so we can find freedom and inner peace. And according to the stoic philosophy, there are only two things that we are in control of: our thoughts and our actions.
We cannot control how our boss perceives our work efforts, but we can control our work ethic and how we approach and complete tasks. We cannot control whether or not we will get ill, but we can control the way we take care of our body and mind every day. We cannot control what other people think of us, but we can control our way of being in the world, showing up as a kind human being. We cannot control what happens to us, but we can control how we approach challenges and react to external events. We cannot control what kind of day lays ahead of us, but we can control what actions we can take to make the day as meaningful, joyful, positive and purposeful as possible.
Taking our power back by recognizing our potential to shape our reality by cultivating better thoughts and actions, while letting go of the urge to control and predict our circumstances, frees enormous mental resources and unlocks the pathway to a life of joy, lightness, presence, creativity and freedom.
A Quick Worry Detector
Now, it is not possible to be completely aware and in totally control of our thoughts all the time. However, by bringing intentional mindfulness to our thought patterns, we open up a possibility to engage in our inner dialogue through a new perspective.
Here is a little exercise. Next time you catch yourself spinning around in a whirlwind of worries, ask yourself: is this within my control? If the answer is yes - what can you do about it? And if the answer is no - let it go.
Put simply: if it is under your control – act, if it is not – let it go.
The Bottom Line
Stoicism teaches us to embrace what we can control and let go of what we cannot. In this way, this antique perspective on life is not merely a philosophy, but a way of life, empowering us to live fully and mindfully in the present moment and taking back our power in an overwhelming, busy and noisy world.
By adopting this awareness, we can enhance our resilience and live each day with greater purpose, intention and mental clarity.