361 - Ataraxia: The Stoic Skill of Staying Level

How do you make a decision when all the choices in front of you feel like bad ones? Today I want talk about how Stoicism can help us take action when faced with impossible choices. “What should we have ready at hand in a situation like this? The knowledge of what is mine and what is not mine, what I can and cannot do.”— Epictetus, Discourses I, 1.21Send a textWant to be a more effective leader? Let's talk!My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

Is Stoicism all about being strong and serious? Is it too pessimistic and always looking for where things can go wrong, where the next challenge or struggle is? Today I want to talk about the softer side of Stoicism, and how many of the tools the Stoics teach us can actually lead us to joy.“To live happily is an inward power of the soul.” — Marcus AureliusSend a textWant to be a more effective leader? Let's talk!My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

Why does virtue matter in leadership? What happens to a community, a city, a country when there is lack of virtue in leadership? In this episode we’re going to discuss power, leadership, and why virtue matters."Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." — Abraham LincolnSend a textWant to be a more effective leader? Let's talk!My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

Why is it important to resist and stand up against injustice? What happens when we don’t stand up to injustice? Today we'll explore why virtue is necessary, what the Stoics taught about resistance, and how to actually practice moral courage in your daily life."The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane." —Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 6.6Send a textWant to be a more effective leader? Let's talk!My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

Are you living the life you want? Are you waiting for something to happen to push you into becoming the hero of your own story? In this episode I want to talk about why we fear stepping into greatness, and how you can be your own hero.“Every difficulty in life presents us with an opportunity to turn inward and to invoke our own submerged inner resources. The trials we endure can and should introduce us to our strengths...Dig deeply. You possess strengths you might not realize you have. Find the right one. Use it.” — EpictetusSend a textWant to be a more effective leader? Let's talk!My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

Do you approach a problem from only one perspective? Are there ways that you could expand your understanding and incorporate different perspectives? Today I want to talk about the power of multi-perspective thinking and how it can help you dig deeper into challenges in your life.“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”—Marcus AureliusSend a textWant to be a more effective leader? Let's talk!My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

Can you stay calm in the storm? Or do you let your emotions cloud your judgment, leading to poor decisions? Today I want to talk about the Stoic concept of ataraxia and how it can help you be more mentally tough.“Don't hope that events will turn out the way you want, welcome events in whichever way they happen: this is the path to peace.”— Epictetus, Enchiridion 8Send a textMy book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

At the end of the year is always a good time to step back and think about the year to come. Maybe you have some goals that you want to accomplish. Maybe get in better shape and eat better or pick up a new skill. But have you thought about what kind of attributes you want in the next year? In this episode I give you some words of advice of how to approach the new year.“Things do not touch the soul, for they are external and remain immovable; so our perturbations come only from our inner opinions."—Marcus AureliusMeditations IV.3Send a textWant to be a more effective leader? Let's talk!My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

What do you believe about yourself? Do you have beliefs that keep from stepping into your true self? Today I want to talk about self-beliefs and how the ideas that we hold about ourselves might just be your biggest obstacle to becoming who you want to be."When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be."— Lao TzuSend a textMy book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, or threads.Thanks again for listening!

Love is the greatest thing in the world. We're all trying to build relationships that enrich our lives. But can Stoicism help us love better? Today I want to talk about how Stoicism can help you be a more loving person."Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart." —Marcus AureliusSend a textWant to be a more effective leader? Let's talk!My book Stoicism 101 is available! Order here!Find out more at https://stoic.coffeeWatch episodes on YouTube!Find me on linkedIn, instagram, or threads.Thanks again for listening!