The document summarizes key ideas from "A Guide to The Good Life" about Stoic philosophy. It discusses that Stoics believed in living according to nature and being virtuous through internal excellence rather than external factors. It also advocates practicing negative visualization to appreciate what one has and prepare for loss. Stoics thought people should concern themselves with internal virtues over external things and seek contentment through changing desires rather than circumstances.
All work and no play makes even us at Orient Management Group dull...check out the attached Stoic handbook to find out how to bring peace into your life!
This document contains multiple excerpts and passages from Stoic philosophers discussing key concepts in Stoicism such as tranquility, indifference, negative visualization, controlling one's interpretations and judgments, focusing on virtue over external things, and maintaining equanimity through difficult circumstances. The excerpts promote cultivating calmness and resisting anxiety through accepting what is beyond one's control, examining one's thoughts and judgments, and finding contentment from within rather than through external things.
This document provides an overview of phenomenological perspectives on human emotions. It discusses theories such as the bodily theory of emotions, cognitive theories of emotions, and affect intentionality. It explores perspectives from philosophers like Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and others on topics like bodily sensations, social feelings, personal thinking, and spiritual intuition. The document frames emotions within dimensions of existence and explores how emotions are connected to concepts like time, memory, and subjectivity/objectivity. It aims to explicate emotions using phenomenological methods focused on lived experience and prereflective consciousness.
The document discusses various philosophers' views on empathy, including David Hume, Adam Smith, and Theodore Lipps. It contrasts empathy and sympathy, noting that empathy involves imagining another person's perspective while sympathy involves feelings of pity or compassion. Empathy is argued to originate from emotional contagion and feeling similar to another's movements or expressions. Factors that influence empathy include attention, cue detection, reflection without judgment, and willingness to understand diverse others.
My own personal philosophy to life.
This handbook on how to live freely expresses my own personal views, values and how I deal with my own shortcoming, I am no psychologist nor do I claim to be one, the goal of this handbook is to merely outline the various methods and values that have proven to be highly helpful and effective in achieving and maintaining contentment within my own mind and my day to day life.
Mindfulness. It’s a pretty straightforward word. It suggests that the mind
is fully attending to what’s happening, to what you’re doing, to the space you’re
moving through. That might seem trivial, except for the annoying fact that we
so often veer from the matter at hand. Our mind takes flight, we lose touch with
our body, and pretty soon we’re engrossed in obsessive thoughts about something that just happened or fretting about the future. And that makes us anxious.
“How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?” – Epictetus, Stoic philosopher
Where can you find joy? Gain strength? How should we face our fears? Deal with the death of a loved one? And what about those reoccurring depressing thoughts?
While traditional schooling doesn’t address such questions, it’s exactly what ancient schools of philosophy were all about: They taught you how to live. Even though these schools don’t exist anymore, you and I and most people are in as much need of a philosophy that guides us through life as we ever were.
This compelling, highly actionable guide shows you how to deal more effectively with whatever life throws at you and live up to your best self.
A mix of timeless wisdom and empowering advice, The Little Book of Stoicism will point the way to anyone seeking a calm and wise life in a chaotic world.
Now available as paperback:
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Stoicism-Resilience-Confidence/dp/3952506907/
This document provides an overview of Stoic philosophy. It discusses that Stoicism was founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens in the 3rd century BC. Central Stoic ideas include virtue being the only true good, emotions arising from judgments that can be controlled, and living in harmony with nature. Stoics believed that only one's own voluntary actions are under direct control, and they practiced accepting what is outside of their control, focusing on virtuous actions, and finding peace through accepting reality. The document outlines various Stoic practices for cultivating wisdom and virtue, such as anticipating future difficulties, loving others while accepting imperfection, and mindful examination of one's thoughts.
All work and no play makes even us at Orient Management Group dull...check out the attached Stoic handbook to find out how to bring peace into your life!
This document contains multiple excerpts and passages from Stoic philosophers discussing key concepts in Stoicism such as tranquility, indifference, negative visualization, controlling one's interpretations and judgments, focusing on virtue over external things, and maintaining equanimity through difficult circumstances. The excerpts promote cultivating calmness and resisting anxiety through accepting what is beyond one's control, examining one's thoughts and judgments, and finding contentment from within rather than through external things.
This document provides an overview of phenomenological perspectives on human emotions. It discusses theories such as the bodily theory of emotions, cognitive theories of emotions, and affect intentionality. It explores perspectives from philosophers like Husserl, Heidegger, Merleau-Ponty, and others on topics like bodily sensations, social feelings, personal thinking, and spiritual intuition. The document frames emotions within dimensions of existence and explores how emotions are connected to concepts like time, memory, and subjectivity/objectivity. It aims to explicate emotions using phenomenological methods focused on lived experience and prereflective consciousness.
The document discusses various philosophers' views on empathy, including David Hume, Adam Smith, and Theodore Lipps. It contrasts empathy and sympathy, noting that empathy involves imagining another person's perspective while sympathy involves feelings of pity or compassion. Empathy is argued to originate from emotional contagion and feeling similar to another's movements or expressions. Factors that influence empathy include attention, cue detection, reflection without judgment, and willingness to understand diverse others.
My own personal philosophy to life.
This handbook on how to live freely expresses my own personal views, values and how I deal with my own shortcoming, I am no psychologist nor do I claim to be one, the goal of this handbook is to merely outline the various methods and values that have proven to be highly helpful and effective in achieving and maintaining contentment within my own mind and my day to day life.
Mindfulness. It’s a pretty straightforward word. It suggests that the mind
is fully attending to what’s happening, to what you’re doing, to the space you’re
moving through. That might seem trivial, except for the annoying fact that we
so often veer from the matter at hand. Our mind takes flight, we lose touch with
our body, and pretty soon we’re engrossed in obsessive thoughts about something that just happened or fretting about the future. And that makes us anxious.
“How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?” – Epictetus, Stoic philosopher
Where can you find joy? Gain strength? How should we face our fears? Deal with the death of a loved one? And what about those reoccurring depressing thoughts?
While traditional schooling doesn’t address such questions, it’s exactly what ancient schools of philosophy were all about: They taught you how to live. Even though these schools don’t exist anymore, you and I and most people are in as much need of a philosophy that guides us through life as we ever were.
This compelling, highly actionable guide shows you how to deal more effectively with whatever life throws at you and live up to your best self.
A mix of timeless wisdom and empowering advice, The Little Book of Stoicism will point the way to anyone seeking a calm and wise life in a chaotic world.
Now available as paperback:
https://www.amazon.com/Little-Book-Stoicism-Resilience-Confidence/dp/3952506907/
This document provides an overview of Stoic philosophy. It discusses that Stoicism was founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens in the 3rd century BC. Central Stoic ideas include virtue being the only true good, emotions arising from judgments that can be controlled, and living in harmony with nature. Stoics believed that only one's own voluntary actions are under direct control, and they practiced accepting what is outside of their control, focusing on virtuous actions, and finding peace through accepting reality. The document outlines various Stoic practices for cultivating wisdom and virtue, such as anticipating future difficulties, loving others while accepting imperfection, and mindful examination of one's thoughts.
Understanding philosophies of life 1.b.1Ryan LeBlanc
1. The document discusses different philosophies of life from various philosophers such as Epictetus, Epicurus, Pythagoras, Plato, and Aristotle.
2. It explores ideas around controlling emotions, identifying true pleasures, shaping one's unconscious mind through self-talk, experiencing absolute truth, and finding purpose.
3. The key message is that examining our beliefs and developing philosophical understanding can help us gain greater control over our thoughts, emotions, and actions to live better lives.
The three pillars of self-compassion are mindfulness, common humanity, and self-kindness. Mindfulness involves bringing awareness to one's experiences using the five senses to observe reactions and patterns during times of suffering. Common humanity recognizes that suffering is part of the human experience and connects us, helping to lift feelings of isolation. Self-kindness encourages treating oneself with gentleness and understanding, rather than harshly, when difficulties arise.
This document discusses the experiences that many go through after an awakening experience. While the inner state may be one of joy and happiness, the external life often gets worse with struggles in money, health and relationships. It suggests that awakening is just the beginning and that applying one's awakened state to the external world through a science of manifestation is needed to truly thrive outwardly. It identifies some common coping mechanisms used like spiritual escapism, determination and indoctrination that can prevent outward success and fulfillment.
Karolyne Williams explored some findings from Positive Psychology, and considered whether our typical strategies to achieve happiness are likely to work in this Psychology Festival of Learning talk.
2: Happy is a Yuppie Word (Discussion Guide)Rich Wagner
1. The document discusses the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is oriented towards the present moment, while joy is oriented towards eternity.
2. Contemporary culture is focused on pursuing happiness now rather than thinking about eternity. This is seen through an emphasis on individualism and a belief that people deserve to be happy.
3. While happiness is fleeting and unsustainable, joy persists for both the righteous and unrighteous. True joy comes from pursuing virtue and Christ, not temporary things that provide only momentary fulfillment.
Mark Twain is considered by many to be one of the greatest American authors in history. He wasn't only a writer though, he was also a source of constant inspiration, a fountain of memorable quotes and a man with an incredible intellect. So when we say we
have some words of advice for you from the mouth of Mark Twain, there is a very good reason to listen!
The document discusses cognitive distortions and negative thought patterns that can impact happiness and provides recommendations for developing gratitude, mindfulness, and focusing on positive attributes in order to improve well-being. It also suggests taking action through deep breathing, challenging distortions, expressing gratitude, and maintaining a positive outlook for at least 21 days to potentially change one's perceptions and increase happiness.
101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think.pdfChimkaOogii1
This document provides a list of 10 things that emotionally intelligent people do not do. It begins by discussing how emotional intelligence is an undervalued trait in society, as logic and reason are often prioritized over emotions. It argues that a lack of consideration for emotions has negative consequences for leadership, relationships, and well-being. The document then states that it will provide a list of 10 habits that emotionally intelligent people do not exhibit.
The document discusses the importance of finding your unique strengths, gifts, and talents in order to manifest success. It suggests reflecting on your interests and natural affinities from childhood to identify these. Recognizing your strengths is essential for taking meaningful steps in life and doing work you love.
The document provides various tips for living a fulfilling life such as practicing forgiveness, volunteering to help others, listening to music daily, becoming a better parent, and carrying a goal card. It also recommends becoming humble, stopping worrying about things you cannot change, and living fully so you can die happy. The overall message is to make the most of each day and leave a positive legacy.
Life isn't all things considered however as We areDayane Santos
We as a whole have alternate point of view about existence. A few of us see positive parts of whatever occurs. While some continue to fault that life is a struggle. Why a few sees excellence of the nursery while some see, dry leaf and waste dispersed en route. Why a few of us change the conditions around them and some change themselves according to conditions.
Watch now these sensational motivational vídeo:
https://uii.io/Lifeisfragile
The Kintsugi Theory of Tech Addiction RecoveryMichael Sharber
Tech addictions come in many forms: social media, video games, Internet, pornography, chat rooms... after talking with addicts for over a year on Reddit, and through personal experience in addiction recovery, I came up with this theory. We all try to "fill a hole," but with unhealthy addictions. This imperfect theory can be a starting point for those who want to cut down, eliminate, or substitute their tech addiction.
Albert Einstein was a renowned physicist known for his genius and revolutionary scientific theories. However, he was also a philosopher who understood the principles of success. This document outlines 10 life lessons learned from Einstein, including that time flies when you're having fun, keeping things simple, and having humility. It encourages the reader to question problems, eliminate lazy thinking, and love what you do in order to find happiness and success in life.
The document discusses the concept of mindfulness and the law of attraction. It states that one's thoughts and beliefs directly shape one's reality, and that negative thoughts can attract negative experiences while positive thoughts can create positive experiences. It encourages cultivating mindfulness of one's thoughts, replacing destructive feelings with uplifting ones, and carefully guiding one's thoughts to attract what one desires.
The document discusses several key learnings and concepts that the author gained from their philosophy class, including:
1) The idea of Brahman and how everything in nature is circular resonated deeply with the author.
2) Surveying from Sun Tzu taught the importance of observing and analyzing to avoid harm and create success.
3) Tolerance and accepting different beliefs requires great inner strength and can reduce suffering.
4) Eastern and Western philosophies identify the same problem of human ignorance but use different approaches like intuition versus logic to achieve enlightenment.
This document provides inspiration on how to view life more positively and take control of your thoughts and circumstances. It discusses that our inner world shapes how we see the outer world, and that we can overcome challenges by believing in our own abilities rather than seeing ourselves as victims. It also explains that our thoughts and beliefs influence our actions, and that we can choose thoughts that empower us to live the life we want.
How Highly Resilient People Survive to Thrive Faisal Hoque
Resilience is the universal human capacity to face, overcome, and even be strengthened by experiences of adversity - bending like bamboo instead of breaking. How we cultivate our inner focus is by taking steps on our personal journey with resilience. This is the focus of this presentation.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but habit.” – Aristotle...Thus our character is a composite of our habits. “Sow a thought, reap an action, sow an action, reap a habit, sow a character, reap a destiny”, the maxim goes.
AATH 2018 Keynote Conference San Diego - Highlights from #AATH18! Association...Amy Oestreicher
How does music heal when words can’t? Why does sharing our story have the power to transform our experience? How can we use creative expression to share our truth in a way that breeds compassion? And what’s so funny about PTSD? HUMOR creates a safe container that protects you against anything! Sharing her near death experience with humor and heart, Amy shows the transformative power of words on a musical journey of hope and determination.
Check out the PowerPoint with TONS of resources I didn't have time to mention....HERE!
The document discusses the Buddhist concept of the Ten Worlds, which are 10 subjective states of mind that people can experience. They range from lower worlds like Hell, Hunger, and Animality, which are driven by external factors and cause suffering, to higher noble worlds like Learning, Realization, Bodhisattva, and Buddhahood, which involve greater self-awareness and compassion for others. The document provides descriptions of each of the Ten Worlds and explains how people can shift between these different mental states at any moment, depending on their circumstances and state of mind. The concept of the Ten Worlds is meant to serve as a framework to help people understand their own emotional experiences and find a path towards more positive states
Covey says most people look for quick fixes. They see a big success and want to know how he did it, believing (and hoping) they can do the same following a quick bullet list.
But real change, the author says, comes not from the outside in, but from the inside out. And the most fundamental way of changing yourself is through a paradigm shift.
That paradigm shift is a new way of looking at the world. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People presents an approach to effectiveness based on character and principles.
The first three habits indeed deal with yourself because it all starts with you. The first three habits move you from dependence from the world to the independence of making your own world.
Habits 4, 5 and 6 are about people and relationships. The will move you from independence to interdependence. Such, cooperating to achieve more than you could have by yourself.
The last habit, habit number 7, focuses on continuous growth and improvement.
ProSocial Behaviour - Applied Social Psychology - Psychology SuperNotesPsychoTech Services
A proprietary approach developed by bringing together the best of learning theories from Psychology, design principles from the world of visualization, and pedagogical methods from over a decade of training experience, that enables you to: Learn better, faster!
Understanding philosophies of life 1.b.1Ryan LeBlanc
1. The document discusses different philosophies of life from various philosophers such as Epictetus, Epicurus, Pythagoras, Plato, and Aristotle.
2. It explores ideas around controlling emotions, identifying true pleasures, shaping one's unconscious mind through self-talk, experiencing absolute truth, and finding purpose.
3. The key message is that examining our beliefs and developing philosophical understanding can help us gain greater control over our thoughts, emotions, and actions to live better lives.
The three pillars of self-compassion are mindfulness, common humanity, and self-kindness. Mindfulness involves bringing awareness to one's experiences using the five senses to observe reactions and patterns during times of suffering. Common humanity recognizes that suffering is part of the human experience and connects us, helping to lift feelings of isolation. Self-kindness encourages treating oneself with gentleness and understanding, rather than harshly, when difficulties arise.
This document discusses the experiences that many go through after an awakening experience. While the inner state may be one of joy and happiness, the external life often gets worse with struggles in money, health and relationships. It suggests that awakening is just the beginning and that applying one's awakened state to the external world through a science of manifestation is needed to truly thrive outwardly. It identifies some common coping mechanisms used like spiritual escapism, determination and indoctrination that can prevent outward success and fulfillment.
Karolyne Williams explored some findings from Positive Psychology, and considered whether our typical strategies to achieve happiness are likely to work in this Psychology Festival of Learning talk.
2: Happy is a Yuppie Word (Discussion Guide)Rich Wagner
1. The document discusses the difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is oriented towards the present moment, while joy is oriented towards eternity.
2. Contemporary culture is focused on pursuing happiness now rather than thinking about eternity. This is seen through an emphasis on individualism and a belief that people deserve to be happy.
3. While happiness is fleeting and unsustainable, joy persists for both the righteous and unrighteous. True joy comes from pursuing virtue and Christ, not temporary things that provide only momentary fulfillment.
Mark Twain is considered by many to be one of the greatest American authors in history. He wasn't only a writer though, he was also a source of constant inspiration, a fountain of memorable quotes and a man with an incredible intellect. So when we say we
have some words of advice for you from the mouth of Mark Twain, there is a very good reason to listen!
The document discusses cognitive distortions and negative thought patterns that can impact happiness and provides recommendations for developing gratitude, mindfulness, and focusing on positive attributes in order to improve well-being. It also suggests taking action through deep breathing, challenging distortions, expressing gratitude, and maintaining a positive outlook for at least 21 days to potentially change one's perceptions and increase happiness.
101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think.pdfChimkaOogii1
This document provides a list of 10 things that emotionally intelligent people do not do. It begins by discussing how emotional intelligence is an undervalued trait in society, as logic and reason are often prioritized over emotions. It argues that a lack of consideration for emotions has negative consequences for leadership, relationships, and well-being. The document then states that it will provide a list of 10 habits that emotionally intelligent people do not exhibit.
The document discusses the importance of finding your unique strengths, gifts, and talents in order to manifest success. It suggests reflecting on your interests and natural affinities from childhood to identify these. Recognizing your strengths is essential for taking meaningful steps in life and doing work you love.
The document provides various tips for living a fulfilling life such as practicing forgiveness, volunteering to help others, listening to music daily, becoming a better parent, and carrying a goal card. It also recommends becoming humble, stopping worrying about things you cannot change, and living fully so you can die happy. The overall message is to make the most of each day and leave a positive legacy.
Life isn't all things considered however as We areDayane Santos
We as a whole have alternate point of view about existence. A few of us see positive parts of whatever occurs. While some continue to fault that life is a struggle. Why a few sees excellence of the nursery while some see, dry leaf and waste dispersed en route. Why a few of us change the conditions around them and some change themselves according to conditions.
Watch now these sensational motivational vídeo:
https://uii.io/Lifeisfragile
The Kintsugi Theory of Tech Addiction RecoveryMichael Sharber
Tech addictions come in many forms: social media, video games, Internet, pornography, chat rooms... after talking with addicts for over a year on Reddit, and through personal experience in addiction recovery, I came up with this theory. We all try to "fill a hole," but with unhealthy addictions. This imperfect theory can be a starting point for those who want to cut down, eliminate, or substitute their tech addiction.
Albert Einstein was a renowned physicist known for his genius and revolutionary scientific theories. However, he was also a philosopher who understood the principles of success. This document outlines 10 life lessons learned from Einstein, including that time flies when you're having fun, keeping things simple, and having humility. It encourages the reader to question problems, eliminate lazy thinking, and love what you do in order to find happiness and success in life.
The document discusses the concept of mindfulness and the law of attraction. It states that one's thoughts and beliefs directly shape one's reality, and that negative thoughts can attract negative experiences while positive thoughts can create positive experiences. It encourages cultivating mindfulness of one's thoughts, replacing destructive feelings with uplifting ones, and carefully guiding one's thoughts to attract what one desires.
The document discusses several key learnings and concepts that the author gained from their philosophy class, including:
1) The idea of Brahman and how everything in nature is circular resonated deeply with the author.
2) Surveying from Sun Tzu taught the importance of observing and analyzing to avoid harm and create success.
3) Tolerance and accepting different beliefs requires great inner strength and can reduce suffering.
4) Eastern and Western philosophies identify the same problem of human ignorance but use different approaches like intuition versus logic to achieve enlightenment.
This document provides inspiration on how to view life more positively and take control of your thoughts and circumstances. It discusses that our inner world shapes how we see the outer world, and that we can overcome challenges by believing in our own abilities rather than seeing ourselves as victims. It also explains that our thoughts and beliefs influence our actions, and that we can choose thoughts that empower us to live the life we want.
How Highly Resilient People Survive to Thrive Faisal Hoque
Resilience is the universal human capacity to face, overcome, and even be strengthened by experiences of adversity - bending like bamboo instead of breaking. How we cultivate our inner focus is by taking steps on our personal journey with resilience. This is the focus of this presentation.
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but habit.” – Aristotle...Thus our character is a composite of our habits. “Sow a thought, reap an action, sow an action, reap a habit, sow a character, reap a destiny”, the maxim goes.
AATH 2018 Keynote Conference San Diego - Highlights from #AATH18! Association...Amy Oestreicher
How does music heal when words can’t? Why does sharing our story have the power to transform our experience? How can we use creative expression to share our truth in a way that breeds compassion? And what’s so funny about PTSD? HUMOR creates a safe container that protects you against anything! Sharing her near death experience with humor and heart, Amy shows the transformative power of words on a musical journey of hope and determination.
Check out the PowerPoint with TONS of resources I didn't have time to mention....HERE!
The document discusses the Buddhist concept of the Ten Worlds, which are 10 subjective states of mind that people can experience. They range from lower worlds like Hell, Hunger, and Animality, which are driven by external factors and cause suffering, to higher noble worlds like Learning, Realization, Bodhisattva, and Buddhahood, which involve greater self-awareness and compassion for others. The document provides descriptions of each of the Ten Worlds and explains how people can shift between these different mental states at any moment, depending on their circumstances and state of mind. The concept of the Ten Worlds is meant to serve as a framework to help people understand their own emotional experiences and find a path towards more positive states
Covey says most people look for quick fixes. They see a big success and want to know how he did it, believing (and hoping) they can do the same following a quick bullet list.
But real change, the author says, comes not from the outside in, but from the inside out. And the most fundamental way of changing yourself is through a paradigm shift.
That paradigm shift is a new way of looking at the world. The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People presents an approach to effectiveness based on character and principles.
The first three habits indeed deal with yourself because it all starts with you. The first three habits move you from dependence from the world to the independence of making your own world.
Habits 4, 5 and 6 are about people and relationships. The will move you from independence to interdependence. Such, cooperating to achieve more than you could have by yourself.
The last habit, habit number 7, focuses on continuous growth and improvement.
ProSocial Behaviour - Applied Social Psychology - Psychology SuperNotesPsychoTech Services
A proprietary approach developed by bringing together the best of learning theories from Psychology, design principles from the world of visualization, and pedagogical methods from over a decade of training experience, that enables you to: Learn better, faster!
Aggression - Applied Social Psychology - Psychology SuperNotesPsychoTech Services
A proprietary approach developed by bringing together the best of learning theories from Psychology, design principles from the world of visualization, and pedagogical methods from over a decade of training experience, that enables you to: Learn better, faster!
Stealth attraction for mens gets her with your wordsichettrisagar95
My article gives a set of techniques used by men to subtly and effectively attract women without overtly displaying their intentions. It involves using non-verbal cues, body language, and subtle psychological tactics to create intrigue and build attraction. The goal is to appear confident, mysterious, and charismatic while maintaining an air of mystery that piques the interest of the person you are trying to attract. This approach emphasizes subtlety and finesse in communication and interaction to create a powerful and lasting impression.
This presentation delves into the core principles of personality development as taught by Tim Han. Understand the importance of self-awareness, goal setting, and maintaining a positive attitude. Gain valuable tips on improving communication skills and developing emotional intelligence. Tim Han’s practical advice and holistic approach will help you embark on a transformative journey towards becoming your best self.
Personal Growth Unleashed: Key Strategies from Tim Han’s LMA Course
A guide to the good life summary
1. 1
A Guide to The Good Life (the ancient art of stoic joy)
by William B. Irvine
The Book in Three Sentences
1. The insight and advice of the Stoic philosophy is still, remarkably applicable today.
2. The Stoics had psychological techniques for attaining tranquility, minimizing worry
and more.
3. Contentedness comes from appreciating what we already have.
The Five Big Ideas
1. If you lack a grand goal in living, you lack a coherent philosophy in life. Without
one, there is a danger you will mislive and you will end up living a bad life.
2. While enjoying the companionship of loved ones, then, we should periodically stop
to reflect on the possibility that this enjoyment will come to an end. By consciously
thinking about the loss of what we have, we can regain our appreciation of it, and
with this regained appreciation we can revitalize our capacity for joy.
3. Our most important choices in life, according to Epictetus, is whether to concern
ourselves with things external to us or things internal.
4. Suppose you find out that someone has been saying bad things about you. Epictetus
advises you to respond not by behaving defensively but by questioning his
competence as an insulter.
5. To help us advance our practice of Stoicism, Seneca advises that we periodically
meditate on the events of daily living, how we responded to these events, and how, in
accordance with Stoic principles, we should have responded to them.
A Guide to The Good Life Summary
If you lack a grand goal in living, you lack a coherent philosophy of life.
Tranquility is a state marked by the absence of negative emotions such as anger,
grief, anxiety, and fear, and the presence of positive emotions—in particular, joy.
“Pay attention to your enemies, for they are the first to discover your mistakes.”—
Antisthenes
The Stoics enjoyed whatever “good things” happened to be available, but even as
they did so, they prepared themselves to give up the things in question.
For the Stoics, a person’s virtue does not depend, for example, on her sexual history.
Instead, it depends on her excellence as a human being—on how well she performs
the function for which humans were designed.
To be virtuous is to live as we were designed to live; it is to live, as Zeno put it, in
accordance with nature.
2. 2
Stoic tranquility was a psychological state marked by the absence of negative
emotions, such as grief, anger, and anxiety, and the presence of positive emotions,
such as joy.
“Begin each day by telling yourself: Today I shall be meeting with interference,
ingratitude, insolence, disloyalty, ill-will, and selfishness—all of them due to the
offenders’ ignorance of what is good or evil.”— Marcus Aurelius
“He robs present ills of their power who has perceived their coming beforehand.”—
Seneca
Irvine on hedonic adaptation: “We humans are unhappy in large part because we are
insatiable; after working hard to get what we want, we routinely lose interest in the
object of our desire. Rather than feeling satisfied, we feel a bit bored, and in response
to this boredom, we go on to form new, even grander desires.”
“One key to happiness is to forestall the [hedonic] adaptation process: We need to
take steps to prevent ourselves from taking for granted, once we get them, the things
we worked so hard to get.”
“The easiest way for us to gain happiness is to learn how to want the things we
already have.”
“The Stoics recommended that we spend time imagining that we have lost the things
we value—that our wife has left us, our car was stolen, or we lost our job.”
“We should love all of our dear ones …, but always with the thought that we have no
promise that we may keep them forever—nay, no promise even that we may keep
them for long.”—Seneca
While enjoying the companionship of loved ones, we should periodically stop to
reflect on the possibility that this enjoyment will come to an end. If nothing else, our
own death will end it.
“We should live as if this very moment were our last.”
As we go about our day, we should periodically pause to reflect on the fact that we
will not live forever and therefore that this day could be our last.
“When the Stoics counsel us to live each day as if it were our last, their goal is not to
change our activities but to change our state of mind as we carry out those activities.”
Besides contemplating the loss of our life, we should contemplate the loss of our
possessions.
“After expressing his appreciation that his glass is half full rather than being
completely empty, [a Stoic] will go on to express his delight in even having a glass:
It could, after all, have been broken or stolen.”
3. 3
“Hedonic adaptation has the power to extinguish our enjoyment of the world.
Because of adaptation, we take our life and what we have for granted rather than
delighting in them.”
Negative visualization is a powerful antidote to hedonic adaptation. By consciously
thinking about the loss of what we have, we can regain our appreciation of it, and
with this regained appreciation we can revitalize our capacity for joy.
The negative visualization technique can also be used in reverse: Besides imagining
that the bad things that happened to others happen to us, we can imagine that the bad
things that happen to us happened instead to others.
“If we were at someone’s house and his servant broke a cup, we would be unlikely to
get angry; indeed, we might try to calm our host by saying ‘It’s just a cup; these
things happen.’”
A few times each day or a few times each week a Stoic will pause in his enjoyment
of life to think about how all this, all these things he enjoys, could be taken from him.
“Negative visualization teaches us to embrace whatever life we happen to be living
and to extract every bit of delight we can from it. But it simultaneously teaches us to
prepare ourselves for changes that will deprive us of the things that delight us. It
teaches us, in other words, to enjoy what we have without clinging to it.”
“By contemplating the impermanence of everything in the world, we are forced to
recognize that every time we do something could be the last time we do it, and this
recognition can invest the things we do with a significance and intensity that would
otherwise be absent.”
“Our most important choice in life, according to Epictetus, is whether to concern
ourselves with things external to us or things internal.”
A good strategy for getting what you want is to make your goal to want only those
things that are easy to obtain—and ideally to want only those things that you can be
certain of obtaining.
“While most people seek to gain contentment by changing the world around them,
Epictetus advises us to gain contentment by changing ourselves—more precisely, by
changing our desires.”
“Your primary desire, says Epictetus, should be your desire not to be frustrated by
forming desires you won’t be able to fulfill.”
“There are things over which we have complete control, things over which we have
no control at all, and things over which we have some but not complete control.”
“One way to preserve our tranquility, the Stoics thought, is to take a fatalistic attitude
toward the things that happen to us.”
4. 4
“According to Epictetus, we should keep firmly in mind that we are merely actors in
a play written by someone else—more precisely, the Fates.”
“We must learn to welcome whatever falls to our lot and persuade ourselves that
whatever happens to us is for the best.”
“We sometimes should think about the past to learn lessons that can help us in our
efforts to shape the future.”
“Instead of thinking about how our situation could be worse, we refuse to think about
how it could be better.”
“Besides contemplating bad things happening, we should sometimes live as if they
had happened.”
Irvine on voluntary discomfort: “By exposing ourselves to a small amount of a
weakened virus now, we create in ourselves an immunity that will protect us from a
debilitating illness in the future.”
“Besides periodically engaging in acts of voluntary discomfort, we should, say the
Stoics, periodically forgo opportunities to experience pleasure.”
The Stoics discovered that willpower is like muscle power: The more they exercised
their muscles, the stronger they got, and the more they exercised their will, the
stronger it got. Indeed, by practicing Stoic self-denial techniques over a long period,
Stoics can transform themselves into individuals remarkable for their courage and
self-control.
The Stoics discovered that exercising self-control has certain benefits that might not
be obvious. In particular, as strange as it may seem, consciously abstaining from
pleasure can itself be pleasant.
“To help us advance our practice of Stoicism, Seneca advises that we periodically
meditate on the events of daily living, how we responded to these events, and how, in
accordance with Stoic principles, we should have responded to them.”
“When contemplating whether to criticize someone, he should consider not only
whether the criticism is valid but also whether the person can stand to be criticized.”
“If you are going to publish, you must be willing to tolerate criticism.”
Epictetus suggests that as we go about our daily business, we should simultaneously
play the roles of participant and spectator.
“Throughout the millennia and across cultures, those who have thought carefully
about desire have drawn the conclusion that spending our days working to get
whatever it is we find ourselves wanting is unlikely to bring us either happiness or
tranquility.”
5. 5
“The Stoics recommend that we prepare for our dealings with other people before we
have to deal with them.”
“Spend time with an unclean person, and we will become unclean as well.”
“Marcus recommends that when we interact with an annoying person, we keep in
mind that there are doubtless people who find us to be annoying.”
“When we find ourselves irritated by someone’s shortcomings, we should pause to
reflect on our own shortcomings. Doing this will help us become more empathetic to
this individual’s faults and therefore become more tolerant of him.”
“When dealing with an annoying person, it also helps to keep in mind that our
annoyance at what he does will almost invariably be more detrimental to us than
whatever it is he is doing.”
“A good Stoic, Marcus says, will not think about what other people are thinking
except when he must do so in order to serve the public interest.”
Irvine on social fatalism: “In our dealings with others, we should operate on the
assumption that they are fated to behave in a certain way.”
“One of their sting-elimination strategies is to pause, when insulted, to consider
whether what the insulter said is true.”
“Another sting-elimination strategy, suggested by Epictetus, is to pause to consider
how well-informed the insulter is.”
“One particularly powerful sting-elimination strategy is to consider the source of an
insult.”
“Under such circumstances, rather than feeling hurt by his insults, I should feel
relieved: If he disapproves of what I am doing, then what I am doing is doubtless the
right thing to do.”
“When a dog barks, we might make a mental note that the dog in question appears to
dislike us, but we would be utter fools to allow ourselves to become upset by this
fact, to go through the rest of the day thinking, ‘Oh, dear! That dog doesn’t like
me!’”
“One other important sting-elimination strategy, say the Stoics, is to keep in mind,
when insulted, that we ourselves are the source of any sting that accompanies the
insult.”
“Remember,” says Epictetus, “that what is insulting is not the person who abuses you
or hits you, but the judgment about them that they are insulting.”
Counter insults with humor.
6. 6
“Epictetus advises you to respond not by behaving defensively but by questioning his
competence as an insulter; for example, you can comment that if the insulter knew
you well enough to criticize you competently, he wouldn’t have pointed to the
particular failings that he did but would instead have mentioned other, much worse
failings.”
The Stoics advocated a second way to respond to insults: with no response at all.
“Refusing to respond to an insult is, paradoxically, one of the most effective
responses possible.”
“Notice, too, that by not responding to an insulter, we are showing him and anyone
who is watching that we simply don’t have time for the childish behavior of this
person.”
“If in the course of trying to train a horse, we punish him, it should be because we
want him to obey us in the future, not because we are angry about his failure to obey
us in the past.”
“The best way to deal with insults directed at the disadvantaged, Epictetus would
argue, is not to punish those who insult them but to teach members of disadvantaged
groups techniques of insult self-defense.”
“The Stoics primary grief-prevention strategy was to engage in negative
visualization.”
“In normal, prospective negative visualization, we imagine losing something we
currently possess; in retrospective negative visualization, we imagine never having
had something that we have lost.”
“Epictetus also offers advice on grief management. He advises us, in particular, to
take care not to “catch” the grief of others.”
“When angry, says Seneca, we should take steps to ‘turn all [anger’s] indications into
their opposites.’ We should force ourselves to relax our face, soften our voice, and
slow our pace of walking. If we do this, our internal state will soon come to resemble
our external state, and our anger, says Seneca, will have dissipated.”
Stoics value their freedom, and they are therefore reluctant to do anything that will
give others power over them.
“If we wish to retain our freedom, says Epictetus, we must be careful, while dealing
with other people, to be indifferent to what they think of us.”
“Marcus agrees with Epictetus that it is foolish for us to worry about what other
people think of us and particularly foolish for us to seek the approval of people
whose values we reject.”
https://www.samuelthomasdavies.com/book-summaries/philosophy/a-guide-to-the-good-life/