7 STOIC THINGS YOU MUST DO EVERY NIGHT (MUST WATCH) | STOICISM
Life is brief and anxious for those who forget the past, neglect the present and fear the future. This is one of the many wise quotes from the ancient philosophy of Stoicism which teaches us how to live a virtuous and joyful life in a chaotic and uncertain world. Stoicism is not just a set of abstract ideas but a practical way of living that can help us overcome challenges, cope with stress and achieve our goals. But how can we apply Stoicism to our daily lives?
One of the best ways to do that is to develop some nightly habits that will help us reflect on our actions, learn from our mistakes and prepare for the next day. In this video, I will share with you 7 simple but powerful nightly habits of a Stoic that will make you more resilient, calm and focused. But before we get into that, I challenge you to not be weak but rather to be resilient and focused by staying with me until the end of the video. Also, make sure you subscribe to this channel and hit the notification bell so you don't miss any of our videos.
Now, let's begin.
Habit 1. Review your day. Every night before you close your eyes, you have a golden opportunity to become a better version of yourself. You can review your day and see how you lived, acted and grew. This is not a time to judge yourself harshly or dwell on your failures. This is a time to learn from your experiences and to celebrate your successes. This is a time to practice the first habit of a Stoic. Review your day.
This habit was taught by Seneca, one of the greatest Stoic philosophers who ever lived. He wrote, "When the light has been removed and my wife has fallen silent, aware of this habit that's now mine, I examine my entire day and go back over what I've done and said, hiding nothing from myself, passing nothing by." Seneca knew that by reviewing his day, he could evaluate his actions and thoughts and see how well he had followed the Stoic principles of wisdom, justice, courage and self-control.
He could also cultivate gratitude for the things that went well and forgiveness for himself and others for the things that went wrong. By doing this, he could improve his character, his happiness and his impact on the world. And so can you. All you need to do is ask yourself some simple questions every night like, "What did I do well today? What did I do poorly today? What did I learn today? How can I improve tomorrow?"
These questions will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, your achievements and mistakes, and your lessons and opportunities. They will help you appreciate what you have and aspire for what you want. They will increase self-awareness and value alignment.
But don't just ask these questions. Write them down. Writing them down will make them more concrete, more memorable and more actionable. Writing them down will also create a record of your progress, your challenges and your growth. You can use a journal, a notebook or an app to write down your answers. It doesn't matter what you use as long as you use it consistently. By writing down your answers every night, you will create a powerful habit that will transform your life. You will become more stoic.
So don't wait. Start tonight, review your day and make tomorrow better. Every night before you drift into sleep, you have a rare opportunity to awaken your soul and ignite your passion. You have the chance to face the ultimate reality of life: death. This habit may sound scary, but it is actually liberating. It is a habit that was embraced by the ancient Stoics who were fearless and wise.
They knew that death is inevitable and unpredictable and that we should not fear or avoid it, but rather face it with courage and dignity. They also knew that death can be a source of motivation and inspiration, as it reminds us that our time is limited and precious and that we should not waste it on trivial things. One of the ways to meditate on your mortality is to use a technique called Memento Mori, which means remember that you will die.
Imagining this is your last night on earth and asking yourself powerful questions can help. How would I ...