I recently came across Stoic philosophy in the last few months and realized the benefits of Stoicism in general.

I believe Stoicism can play a role in one’s mental discipline by helping achieve spiritual maturity, especially in these unique times. For some, belief in God is enough, but I believe embodying the wise counsel of those who have once lived before is also helpful.

I have heard vaguely about figures such as Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus, etc., in earlier years, but to be honest, I didn’t care about them at all.

Who they were seemed unimportant until I came across this quote by Marcus Aurelius;

“Remember how long you’ve been putting this off, how many extensions the gods gave you, and you didn’t use them.”

This quote hit me when I procrastinated on a necessary action I needed to take towards personal growth.

I was letting fear dictate my thoughts and fueling inaction.

Thinking over the quote made me realize if not now, then when. So I took action…

What is Stoicism?

Stoicism is a philosophy of personal ethics. According to its pedagogy, as social beings, the path to happiness is found in accepting the moment as it is.

Instead of moving toward pleasure and avoiding pain, Stoics know it’s better to treat every moment for what it brings by not allowing oneself to be controlled by fear of pain, death, or discomfort or controlled by pleasure, greed, or comfort.

Essentially using one’s mind to understand the world and your role in it to treat others fairly. (At least that is my interpretation of it)

Since its founding Stoic philosophy has advocated for personal responsibility and emphasized staying present.

20 Stoicism quotes will Help You Through Difficult Situations In Life

1. “How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?” ― Epictetus

2. “It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people but care more about their opinion than our own.” ― Marcus Aurelius

3. “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” ― Marcus Aurelius

4. “It’s not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it.” -Seneca

5. “This is what you deserve. You could be good today. But instead, you chose tomorrow.” — Marcus Aurelius

6. “Self-pity is the cause of many sorrows and the solution to none of them.” — Marcus Aurelius

7. “The road to mastery is only traveled by those who can tolerate being a beginner. Knowledge begins with the acknowledgment of ignorance. Modern people may have to learn and discard many skills throughout their lives. Those who can embrace being a beginner will thrive.” — Seneca

8. “He who fears death will never do anything worthy of a man who is alive.” — Seneca

9. “You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” ―Marcus Aurelius

10. “Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.” — Seneca

11. “Let us prepare our minds as if we’d come to the very end of life. Let us postpone nothing. Let us balance life’s books each day… The one who puts the finishing touches on their life each day is never short of time.” — Marcus Aurelius

12. “The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.” ―Epictetus

13. “I judge you unfortunate because you have never lived through misfortune. You have passed through life without an opponent — no one can ever know what you are capable of, not even you.” — Seneca

14. “Don’t seek for everything to happen as you wish it would, but rather wish that everything happens as it actually will — then your life will flow well.” — Epictetus

15. “The whole future lies in uncertainty: live immediately.”-Seneca

16. “Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.” — Epictetus

17. “A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.” — Seneca

18. “We suffer more often in imagination than in reality” — Seneca

19. “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others.” — Cicero

20. “Choose a master whose life, conversation, and soul-expressing face have satisfied you … For we must indeed have someone according to whom we may regulate our characters; you can never straighten that which is crooked unless you use a ruler.” — Seneca

In a nutshell, Stoicism is especially pertinent during challenging times, such as now.

Stoicism is useful as a form of mental discipline. I wish I was taught it as a child, I think the richness of its wisdom would have proved useful for my earlier self, but I guess better late than never, right.

Here is a great resource to start from if you are interested in Stoicism;
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius