Beyond Struggle: Embracing Stoicism for Personal Growth

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The path to self improvement is a rocky one.

  It takes a someone who really wants to improve to make a change. If it were easy we'd be a step closer to utopia. There is a philosophy that can help with that process, if you take it to heart.

Stoicism…

  I have found Stoicism to be a philosophy that lines up with my ideas of self improvement. It puts me into a mindset to better myself.

  Stoicism is a philosophy that emphasizes living in accordance with nature and cultivates the virtues of wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance. At it's core it's about self improvement. The challenge of becoming a better person today than you were yesterday.

  How did I discover Stoicism?

  You'd think it would be in a class or at least by word of mouth, but it wasn't. It was through someone who lives it- my dad.

Over the years my dad influenced my life by how he handled all the different things life threw at him. Calm, cool, and collected when it was called for. Taking decisive action when needed, all while still being a gentle but tough rock. My dad never actually talked about, nor made reference to Stoicism. He just lived his life.

"Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one"

-Marcus Aurelius

  My parents had five children, I being the fourth child got to see dad in a later phase of his journey of Stoicism. He wasn't perfect, having that many children will get on your nerves too. If we got him angry, his roar was that of a lion. It terrified us enough that we'd get in line.

  Nobody is perfect, but the journey to improve is life long. That's what makes being human so great.

What makes the Stoic virtues so relatable to us in self improvement? They hit on every level of human emotion and interaction.

 Wisdom

  In Stoicism, wisdom goes beyond just knowledge. It's about the ability to navigate complex situations with good judgment and discernment. Understanding what's in your control, recognizing cognitive biases, and making decisions aligned with nature and reason.

  A major element of wisdom is being self aware. Knowing how you might normally react and taking that moment to see a better way.

"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."

-C.G. Jung

Courage

  Looking at courage, the Stoics use it as moral strength to face difficulties, fear, and adversity. It's not just about fearlessness. It's about acting virtuously despite discomfort. Facing hardships with resilience and standing by their principles, especially when challenged.

"Even if some obstacle comes on the scene, its appearance is only to be compared to that of clouds which drift in front of the sun without ever defeating its light."

-Seneca

Justice

  This is about treating others with fairness, respect, and kindness. Justice encompasses our social duties, recognizing our interconnectedness with others, and contributing positively to society.

  Consider how to be a better person to others. If someone treats you poorly, don't be like them.

"Just that you do the right thing. The rest does not matter."

-Marcus Aurelius

Temperance

  In our modern society we tend to struggle with Temperance. Stoics exercise moderation and self-restraint in all aspects of life. It involves maintaining emotional equilibrium, controlling destructive impulses, and avoiding excess. Temperance is all this while also developing discipline over desires and reactions.

  How often do you struggle with your impulses and emotions? Has it gotten you in trouble?

"We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them."

-Epictetus

Bonus Virtue - Gratitude

  Every Stoic that I've read about seems to have the ability to live a life of gratitude. They find the good even in the mundane.

"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."

-Marcus Aurelius

  Each of these four virtues go hand in hand. It can take courage to show fairness in the face of adversity. You need wisdom to understand how temperance can improve all aspects of you life. The examples could really keep going.

  Stoicism has brought more balance to my life. I've become more aware as to how I react to different scenarios causing me to pause and consider a better choice of action. I find myself becoming more wise to my choices, building discipline, standing on my principles, and being a better person.

  I have found gratitude in all the good in my life and for my dad's example, showing me the way.

  Is being a Stoic perfect? No, but that's the point. Nobody is perfect, we strive to be a better person while trying to build a better tomorrow.