LESSONS FROM STOICISM TO STAY CALM | THE ART OF SERENITY REVEALED | STOICISM INSIGHTS
The art of temperance is the great mastery of choosing to resist rather than to respond. It is the ability to make deliberate decisions as opposed to impulsive ones. In the stoic state, along with wisdom, temperance is one of the four essential virtues.
The significance of temperance is profound. Temperance is the ability to maintain composure in the face of difficulty and respond in a measured and balanced manner. This virtue is very, very important because it is essential to our capacity to make wise decisions, particularly when it comes to controlling our emotions under pressure, remaining calm, retaining mental clarity, and handling issues successfully.
You have a major problem with self-control if your emotions, whether they be rage or excitement, govern you. A lot to get over this obstacle, we resort to stoicism. I want to be straightforward and realistic in this video. I'll start by outlining 10 doable strategies for putting the fundamental historical lessons into practice so you can develop patience as one of your virtues.
Don't follow your desires. Controlling one's desires rather than having excessive ones is the source of freedom. The goal here is to make judgments based on what is truly useful in the long term rather than giving in to momentary pleasures. Stoics felt that persistent longing for pleasure and dread of pain make us prisoners, chained by our passions rather than having control over ourselves. Delaying gratification can be an excellent place to start.
Remembering that the journey is just as important as the destination will help you focus your actions instead of chasing after short-term goals. If you apply this principle to all of your goals, you will see a more fulfilling life emerge before you. As you continue to learn and develop, continuous learning and development philosophy makes no promises to entities other than humans.
The path to stoic temperance is a life of continuous learning and development. Stoics hold that the road to virtue and knowledge is a never-ending journey. We frequently err by starting down the path with an eye toward the end goal rather than the journey itself as the reward. This idea may be applied to your life by setting aside time each day to either learn something new or think back on your past experiences and the lessons you can take away from them.
This can aid in your personal development and give you a wider perspective on how to handle life's obstacles with more serenity and harmony. Cultivating appreciation is also important. Keep a gratitude journal to help you remember and express your thankfulness for the little things in life, such as a place to live, food on the table, and supportive family and friends. Gratitude journals can be a useful tool for this practice.
Every day, make a list of three things for which you are thankful. You can also go for a walk in the outdoors and soak up the beauty of your surroundings. Acquire a mentality of satisfaction by realizing that you already have enough to be happy with.
Embrace resilience, moving on from the previous point. Meditation can be a very effective way to cultivate appreciation in your daily life. Focus on gratitude and let go of the expectation that everything will happen the way you want it to. Learn to accept things as they are and find happiness in the state they are in.
For the stoics, being grateful is both an attitude and an active practice that helps us avoid dwelling on the negative. Remember to show your gratitude in concrete ways, such as by saying thank you more frequently, writing notes of appreciation to people who have done special things for you, or just pausing to notice the beauty of the world around you. Additionally, keep your distance from those who undermine your sense of gratitude by avoiding those who propagate negativity and complaints.
Enjoy what you have because true wealth is found in appreciating what you have rather than desiring what you lack, as the stoics understood. Moderation and simplicity are key. By learning to be grateful for what we currently have instead of continuously chasing after more, we can find contentment. Historical teachings remind us that setbacks and obstacles are opportunities for learning and growth.
Developing resilience is an effective way to incorporate this concept into your life. It involves facing challenges with balance and serenity. Develop a stronger desire to deal with challenges, seeing obstacles as opportunities for growth as opposed to personal failings. This process also includes learning how to solve problems and adopting a progressive mindset.
As you come to understand that you may grow and learn from setbacks and difficulties, embrace a growth-oriented perspective to view obstacles as chances to improve and develop resilience by honing the abilities and techniques that get you through difficult times.
Living in the present is also an important part of stoicism. A lot of our anxieties and worries come from regretting the past or fearing the future. By focusing on the here and now, we can free ourselves from these concerns and maintain calm and serenity. Live in the present and remember that you don't perceive reality as it is but as you are.
A good way to put this idea into practice is to cultivate mindfulness. This can be as simple as setting aside time each day to focus on the present, perhaps through meditation or just being aware of your feelings at that moment. Avoid multitasking and try to focus on one task at a time. Practice mindfulness through formal meditation or by being aware of your daily actions and the conversations you have with others.
Practicing empathy is vital. Life is an interpretive station, and the stoics remind us that everyone is facing their own challenges. By practicing empathy, we can better understand others and respond in a way that maintains peace and harmony. To put this into practice, you can try putting yourself in others' shoes before judging or reacting. This could involve pausing and considering another person's perspective before responding or actively seeking opportunities to learn about experiences and viewpoints different from your own.
By practicing this principle and becoming a more empathetic person, you will gradually better understand viewpoints rather than becoming irritated or reacting in a negative and toxic way.
Accepting what you cannot change is another important aspect. It's not the facts that disturb men but their judgment of the facts, as Epicurus said. This is a fundamental element of stoicism mentioned several times in my videos. The idea that we should accept things we cannot change and focus on what we can influence will be crucial for living a serene life. This principle can be practiced in various ways.
One of them is learning to identify the difference between what we can change through our actions and what is completely beyond our control. The weather is a very obvious and easy example to comprehend. Rather than wasting energy thinking about whether it would be sunny or stormy, we should concentrate on how we would prepare for and react to various weather conditions.
Another way to put this idea into effect is by using cognitive therapy methods, which assist us in identifying and challenging harmful or illogical thinking. Accepting our limitations and being human will help us live in a more peaceful and balanced way. You can also learn to accept your strengths and weaknesses and recognize that you are imperfect. By seeing how nature adjusts to change, you can be inspired to prioritize your mental health and talk to trusted friends about your experiences.
Taking small steps and practicing detachment is crucial as well. Take baby steps to get past obstacles. Begin with small steps to get over them and acknowledge that hardships are a natural part of life. Show yourself kindness when facing these difficult situations by practicing detachment. According to Epicurus, poverty is not characterized by a decrease in goods but rather by an increase in avarice.
In the context of stoicism, detachment refers to releasing oneself from an undue reliance on other people or things for satisfaction. It's not about shunning all pleasures or worldly goods but rather about not letting them be your only source of inner calm. Detachment can be practiced in a variety of ways. One method might be to imagine your wants in meditation and then picture yourself releasing them.
Another strategy is to simplify your life by acquiring fewer material possessions and emphasizing relationships and experiences above material goods. As we frequently have more than we need or deserve, by appreciating moderation and simplicity, we free ourselves from the never-ending quest for improvement and novelty.
Lastly, self-care is absolutely essential. First and foremost, maintaining good physical health is essential for a strong and healthy mind. Stoicism acknowledges the interdependence of the body and mind. Maintaining good physical health is essential to achieving temperance. This includes eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, exercising, and taking care of your mental health, whether through counseling or just making time for relaxation and engaging in activities you enjoy.
It is disrespectful to neglect your physical well-being in terms of both appearance and health. Temperance is a path to inner tranquility and peace. It focuses on understanding and controlling our emotions and desires rather than allowing them to control us. Marcus Aurelius famously stated that the quality of our ideas determines the enjoyment we experience in life. Here are two more movies filled with historical wisdom that I hope you enjoy. Until we speak again, thank you.