Wellbeing - The four key principles of Stoicism
Wisdom, Justice, Discipline, Courage
I would not consider myself a Stoic, as in someone who follows Stoicism - whatever that means - to the exclusion of all other things. There is overlap and good stuff elsewhere, but as someone who struggles to regulate emotions at times, I feel that Stoicism - which can be viewed as a way of managing emotion more effectively - is something that I can get a lot from.
I listen to the Daily Dad and the Daily Stoic podcasts, by Ryan Holiday, and have read the two books with those titles. I also listen to the Stoic Coffee Break podcast with Eric Cloward. There are other ways in I am sure, but these work for me.
As well as learning of Epictetus - a slave: Seneca - a powerful politician, and Marcus Aurelius - a Roman Emperor - who all embraced the Stoic way of living, I have picked up many ideas, philosophies, and ways of living I have tried to incorporate into my life.
Firstly, Stoicism is not about denying or suppressing emotion. It is about acknowledging emotion and managing it without doing something rash or something you will regret later. It is about keeping calm, showing equanimity, and proceeding appropriately sensibly, and wisely.
One might break down Stoicism into four key principles.
Wisdom - What is the wisest course of action? The most sensible? The one that will achieve the most good?
Justice - What is the right thing to do in this situation? What is the most just thing? The fairest?
Discipline - The right thing to do is not always the easiest. Can I stick with it and see it through?
Courage - The right thing to do is not always the most popular. Can I show the resilience needed to get there?
There is a lot of subjectivity and interpretation to these principles. But that is the point. They are guidelines. Some people might reject them outright. Some people could twist and bend them. This is human nature. Even if we do seek to adhere to them, we are not all perfect. We will fall short - even the best of us. But we can go back to them. Why did that not work out? What could I do better next time?
One of the mantras I always say to myself, particularly if I feel myself getting wound up, is the famous ‘keep calm and carry on’ saying that was apparently first devised during World War Two by the British Government but not used publically at the time. I think this encapsulates it. Maintain balance. Think about the most effective way of dealing with it.
Some might say, that at times anger and emotion are needed to deal with situations. They are right. But you should not make things worse. Your job is to do the right thing and deal with things effectively. What is the optimal way of dealing with the given situation?
One way we can seek to take these Stoic values on board is to journal. ‘I don’t have time!’ I hear you say. No one does. But if you think you need to work on things - to reflect - brief journalling on what went well that day, and things you might have done better - gets you to think about becoming better the next time. This is true wisdom and enlightenment. It is free. It is common sense. But it is not common practice.
‘Other people don’t change!’ I hear others say. That is right. You may need to cut some of them off. To avoid them. But what you can do is change how you are. How can you be better? How can you be happier? Your work is to change you. Others must change themselves. You can show them by example. Even then some will not change. But that is not your concern.
When you get good at Stoicism and journaling you will start to do it in your head during the situation. At times you will forget. So be it. Get better next time.
Am I a Stoic? I don’t know. Am I just a Stoic? No. But the principles, ideas, and practices of Stoicism have made me a much better person. And that should be life’s mission.
Really clear explanation thanks!