324 - Kintsugi and Stoicism: Finding Strength in the Beauty of Broken Things

In times of political division, it’s easy to be swept away by anger, resentment, and fear. But what does that accomplish? Does your anger towards those that disagree with you help yourself or the world? In this episode I want to talk about the importance of maintaining your Stoic principles in times of turmoil.“The essence of good and evil consists in the condition of our character. And externals are the means by which our character finds its particular good and evil.”—EpictetusSend us a text My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, twitter, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

Stoicism is a very personal and practical philosophy. But what would a company look like that implemented some of the ideas from Stoic philosophy? In this episode, I interview Geoff Roberts the CEO of Outseta. Many of the operating principles run counterintuitive to the conventional wisdom of how most companies are managed, and they've been quite successful.  While Geoff isn't a deliberate Stoic, Outseta operates incorporates a lot of Stoic ideals which leads to a healthier work culture built on trust, transparency, and working towards the common good of all the employees.Send us a text My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, twitter, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

Are you happy? Do you struggle when life doesn’t go the way you want? Today I want to talk about why we as humans are great at making ourselves unhappy, and some ideas the Stoics gave us to make our lives better. “Man is not disturbed by things, but by the views he takes of them.” — EpictetusSend us a textMy book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, twitter, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

This weeks episode is an interview with Dr. Erik Fisher. Erik is the host of the Emotional Algebra podcast, and works with patients and clients to manage their emotions in a way that is very similar to Stoicism. We had a great and wide ranging conversation about emotions, trauma, and how become more emotionally resilient.Send us a text My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, twitter, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

Are you confused about the different teachings of Stoicism you find on the internet? Would the Stoics advocate for the “hyper-masculine” culture that uses Stoicism to support some approaches to stress, dating, and how to treat others? Today I want to talk about how Stoicism can be misused, and clear up some of the misconceptions of Stoicism been propagated by what some have called “Broicism”.“The lamp of wisdom shines brightest when lit by the flame of self-awareness.”― Musonius RufusSend us a text My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, twitter, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

 Are you worried about finances? Do you struggle when you have a political conversation with somebody and it becomes heated? Do you worry about failing at life? Well, these are three questions that I'm going to answer today in another Q& A episode. “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.” — Will RogersSend us a text My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, twitter, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

Self-made success, individual freedom, pulling yourself up by your bootstraps—these ideas have become the cornerstone of many modern cultures, especially in the West. But is this individualistic mindset really working for us? Today, we’re taking a look at why excessive individualism can be harmful, how it isolates us, and what Stoicism has to say about our interconnectedness and shared humanity.“The wise man will never shut himself up within his own skin; he remembers that he is born for the good of all mankind.”—SenecaSend us a textMy book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, twitter, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

We all suffer heartbreak from time to time. It’s an inevitable part of life with other people. So how can we use Stoicism to help us move past a broken heart? Today, we’re going to discuss how this ancient philosophy has some great tools to mend and move forward.”There can be no doubt that the desire lovers have for each other is not so very different from friendship - you might say it was friendship gone mad.”—SenecaSend us a text My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, twitter, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

As the new year begins, there is always a push to make resolutions and plans. Do you know what you want to accomplish next year? Do you have goals that you want to pursue? How do you plan on accomplishing them? Today I want to talk about some ideas about how you can more successful in achieving the things you want.”Life is long if you know how to use it.” —SenecaSend us a textMy book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, twitter, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

Imagine a bowl, cracked and seemingly useless. Most of us would toss it out. But what if, instead, those cracks were mended with gold, transforming the broken object into something even more beautiful than before? This is the art of kintsugi, a Japanese philosophy that teaches us how to embrace flaws and failures as opportunities for growth and transformation. Today, we’ll explore how this perspective aligns with Stoicism and how it can help us turn failure and loss into resilience and strength.“The world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong at the broken places.” — Ernest HemingwaySend us a text My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, twitter, or threads.Thanks again for listening!