Listed below are some of the articles by Rand Cardwell that appear on becomingstoic.net. (Click here to check it out) The focus is on understanding the concepts within the ancient philosophy of Stoicism, as it applies to the contemporary world. Rand is also working on a series of new books on the subject, which the first will be available in the next couple of months.
Just the mere mention of philosophy will likely cause the average person to roll their eyes. They might even dismiss it as one of those boring subjects to which they attach little or no importance. If you bring up the branch of philosophy known as stoicism, you might be categorized as some stuffy academic type that should be avoided at parties. So, what the heck is stoicism and why is it significant Click here for more.
There are some folks that study Stoicism for years and skate through life without encountering obstacles or harsh events. One part of me is happy for them not having been curb-stomped by life on several occasions. I sometimes reflect on the events in my life and think how “nice” it would have been not to have faced the death of loved ones, financial hardships, serious illness, etc. Click here for more
We all die! There isn’t one person alive that can escape death; everyone, including you! The ancient Stoics spent a fair amount of time pondering death and how we should mentally approach it. So, what mental framework do we need to face this fact of nature? Why did they think this was necessary? I believe this is because so many people do not want to face the prospects of their own end. Instead, they avoid it like the plague. Click here to continue
Stoicism is not the absence of feelings or being emotionless, as some would have you believe. Instead, it promotes emotional self-control to prevent our feelings from dictating our behavior. It is completely normal for people to have emotions such as happiness or anger. Stoicism teaches us how to respond appropriately to emotions to prevent irrational decisions or actions. Contrary to popular belief, Stoicism doesn’t make you dispassionate. Click here to continue
So, what is the point of reading, researching, and studying Stoicism? Is it to demonstrate your knowledge to others? Not at all! Internalizing Stoic principles will help you become a better person. The old sages emphasized that we must adopt the philosophy as our own, that we should live it and not just study it. At some point, however, we must begin acting upon the principles and ideals of stoicism rather than just reading about them. We must begin to focus on our own self-rescue. Click here for more
I want to ask you a question. Who are you? Take a moment to reflect before answering. This might be difficult for you to answer because we rarely think of such questions. Let me give you a few hints about who you are NOT. Click here
This article will take a “deep dive” into Stoicism and the men who shaped it. Marcus Aurelius was one of the greatest emperors of Ancient Rome. Referred to as the “Philosopher King” for the high level of wisdom he displayed during his reign. Epictetus was born into slavery but eventually gained his freedom. He became a noted teacher and an influencer of the Roman Emperor, Hadrian. Seneca was born in Spain and moved to Rome at an early age. He became one of the most noted statesmen and playwrights of his time. Eventually, rising to the top levels of politics and influence. Click here
Although we are aware that human beings nor any of their relationships or belongings are supposed to survive forever, we nonetheless act in a different way. The core belief of the Stoics was that the only way to be free from pain was to accept the transience of everything, including ourselves. Click here
Running away from an issue doesn’t actually make it go away. Even if we escape this one, we might encounter a similar circumstance in the near future. It’s pointless to be angry about something we can’t change. When we focus only on the things we can control, we are effective. What do we have control over and what don’t we? For instance, being afraid of storms serves no purpose because we have no influence over them. But we are in charge of our feelings about them. We are in control of our feelings about storms but not the storms themselves. Click here
Epictetus is considered as one of the most influential Late Stoa Period philosophers. He lived from about 50 to 135 AD. He was born into slavery in a major Greco-Roman city in what today is southwestern Turkey, but moved at an early age to Rome by his master. Epictetus was the slave of Epaphroditus, who he mentions several times in his discourses, not exactly in complimentary terms, but not with any hint of bitterness. Click here
The Stoics held a high regard for gratitude, a strong emotion of appreciation. Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius were all Stoic philosophers who wrote about the value and advantages of being thankful in our lives. Gratitude can be expressed to other people, such as when they help us out or offer us a present. Based on awareness, thankfulness takes a different form. It is an emotion of thanksgiving for life and all that it has given us. We should always be grateful. Click here
Seneca (4 BC–65 AD), formally known as Seneca Lucius Annaeus or Seneca the Younger, is best remembered as an influential Stoic philosopher, powerful statesman, and a noted playwright in Ancient Rome. Born in Hispania (modern day Spain), but moved to Rome around 5 AD. He undertook the education afforded to Rome’s elite class, consisting of rhetoric, literature, grammar, and philosophy. His father, Seneca the Elder, a famed author of several surviving books concerning rhetoric, likely inspired the younger. Click here
Becoming stoic has responsibilities! You will gain more insight into yourself and others, react logically and rationally to situations, and people will naturally gravitate to you because of your steadfast wisdom and knowledge. Expect this to happen. Some of you may never have found yourself in a leadership role or even considered it before. Trust me, once you start becoming more reasoned in your decision-making, leadership is just part of the package. You might become or already be a leader in the military, the corporate jungle, government, a religious organization, or just among your own family or friends. Your stoic wisdom will be noticed and appreciated by others. It’s a given. Click here
For the past few years, stoicism has been getting more popular. The idea of stoicism has become more widely known thanks to the work of people like Tim Ferris, Ryan Holiday, and others. People are becoming more and more interested in the advantages of this useful concept. People who are curious have frequently questioned me about what are the benefits of becoming stoic? So, I took a seat, pulled out my trusty notepad, and began writing this article. Click here
What angers you enough to want to lash out and retaliate against someone? Did it cause us physical harm? Or was it a verbal insult or other such demeaning provocation? Did someone cut you off in traffic? Whip into the open parking space you were about to get? Did your spouse, after a hard day at work, speak harshly to you? There is a scale on which the term “wronged” can be placed. Likewise, there is a scale of acceptable actions. Click here
You may have experienced instances in your life when you weren’t sure you could go on. When things are difficult, the path is hard and long, and you are simply worn out. Finding the resolve to keep going can be difficult at times. This can entail rising early to work a job where you’re treated poorly since your family depends on you for the money. Earning a college degree might take many hours of preparing for finals and putting in all the necessary work. It can feel like struggling and hitting the wall a mile before the finish line of a marathon. These and countless such instances show how challenging it may be to maintain motivation. Ask yourself if your are in a marathon or sprint in self-improvement. Click here