Stoicism for a Better Life

The pursuit of a tranquil life...let us conclude now that we have read through the chapters, what this all means for you (if anything) and how you can change your approach to life to better every aspect of it.

THIS IS THE CHAPTER YOU WANT. If there is one chapter you read from this book, this is it. How do you find tranquillity in this life? By having a why. How do you know what your purpose (or Why) is? By clearly identifying your necessities. Here we outline a step by step guide for identifying your purpose in life.

We're wrapping up and concluding the general thoughts slowly. Today it is about philosophy and why the pursuit of knowledge and wisdom is the only way to freedom, joy and tranquillity.

Thinking about the suffering of others and working towards their betterment is a sure fire source of joy in life. Last Chapter we spoke about why Loving thy neighbour is the only option and a great source of joy. This chapter we conclude and hammer it home: Seriously...Love Thy Neighbour!

Here's the third Q&A of the season. We've got a few questions on motivation & perspective and one heavy topic like talking to 10 y/o about suicide. Join me for the third and last Q&A of the season, as we close up on the 100th episode.

The chapter is called 'Love Thy Neighbour'. Learning to love others and put their suffering before yourself is a fundamental key to happiness and joy in life.

Who are you? You look in the mirror and say "I". You look at a picture of you from 10 years ago and say "I". Yet the two entities you are looking at are not the same. They do not look the same. They do not exist in the same moment of space-time. So who is "I"?

This is the one many of you have been waiting for. What the heck do we do with our emotions? How can I possibly be anxiety free while I have these messed up thoughts and feelings within? Lend me your ear and let me tell you how I deal with it.

Why is life so hard? Why must everything be so difficult? Why do I feel like the universe is sometimes conspiring against me...all the time? These are universal questions that transcend all "differences" between us, and the answer is exactly what you think it is. There is no fair...or unfair. Life just is and the universe is thus. We have no say in the matter no matter how upset we are or how loud we yell. Accepting this, is the key to shaking the yolk of the human condition.

Pursue goals with NO reservations and at ANY cost. Go GRAB the BULL by the horns. You get to your goal QUICKLY (preferably quicker than your competition) and you WILL find happiness. We've all been taught this garbage over and over again growing up at home, school and on TV. Today...this is a core pillar of your misery.

If you can answer this problem, then you don't need to listen to this episode: Freewill...does it truly exist? Yes, you are choosing to read this. But science tells us everything is predetermined, hence formulas that can very accurately predict things. How do you reconcile these two? How can we have freewill, if we live in a world bound by universal rules that can be predicted?

Neil Armstrong may be best known for his quote "One small step for man...", but his greatest contribution to posterity, in my opinion, is the attitude he practiced and preached after he came back from stepping on another celestial object and staring back at everything he ever knew: Life is a short term phenomenon.

See the world as it is...not as you see it. This is possibly the greatest trick the devil ever pulled (the fact that we don't even realize we're on the hedonic treadmill). We forget we are a small spec... unspecial in every way....and we freely throw false value judgments on everything.

Here's the first Q&A of the season. We've got three (technically four) questions starting with pets and ending with introspective reflection.

Strap in for some incest, murder, genocide and extinction. We're talking about how homo sapiens exterminated all other human species despite being one of the least successful species (yeah I said it...prove me wrong). Oh yeah...there's some Stoicism in there somewhere too...perhaps some wisdom, but no promises and no refunds.

You've already heard it a million times..."it's not the destination, it's the journey". Let's explain that real quick quick. Don't forget, the Q&A airs in two episodes, so get your questions in on your read-along or wtv. Instagram is a good bet or any other link on StoicismForaBetterLife.com - Let's Talk. I'm excited! Are you?

This is the way...literally. For two millennia, people have been preaching these philosophical precepts and claiming it gave them freedom and peace from within. It may not be the answer for you, but then again, it might.

Growing up I never read the preface of a book. I always thought "what the hell, I bought the book to read the damn thing...why are you bothering me with a short mis-en-context to put the whole thing into perspective in a convenient package." If only I knew then what I know now, I would have gotten so much more value out of the same effort. A preface puts the entire book into the context the author wants you to view it. Try not to skip them. But you can skip this one if you want. Except don't.

As I do every year, I am looking to adapt the podcast and try something new. I was going to wrap it all up and call it a day on these series, but I got inspired to do three more seasons before I potentially hang up the towel. I'm just trying to do what I can and make the world a better place one conversation at a time. This season will have LOTS of opportunities to interact. Keep an eye out for those Q&As!

A prayer is just a form of meditation. And even though the origins of the prayer as e know it today are not exactly from Stoic sources (just like the terms Amor Fati and Memento Mori). However, we still use them today to summarize a collection of ideas that are representative of our school. The Serenity / STOIC prayer is no different and as Prokoptons we should all be reminded of this once in a ALL THE TIME.

The MOST powerful tool we have in our arsenal is our own rational mind. For millennia, intelligent and self-aware individuals have kept rigid journals/logs in a disciplined manner. One of our school's most popular books is quite literally the journal of a Roman Emperor (or what survives of it). Journalling is clearly a powerful tool and over the past decade, I have spent my time perfecting my journaling methodology. No...it is not rocket science. But it is nice to define what it is we want to accomplish. The goal: PEACE of MIND. The Means: Your JOURNAL.

I'm not sure how everyone else does it, but I can't help being angry and emotional. I feel them daily, no matter how 'focused' or 'present' or 'mindful' I am. But I've kind of found a way to deal with it.

This episode is all about one of those "BEAK GLASS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY" meditations (Stoic or otherwise). I came up with this gem of a meditation a few years back while I happened to be binging on Epictetus et al...and while watching the second season of the awesome TV series Lucifer. I shamelessly usurped a catchphrase from who else but the most stoic of all angels ... Lucifer Morningstar. Come devil-worshipping with me.

We bond and unite under many banners. Corporations...school...family...gang...sports teams.... so I figure why not also unite under a banner that stands for doing the RIGHT thing ONLY because it is the right thing to do, PERIOD. Or at least try their best to do so. That's SFBL.

If we live and exist in the present moment only, then we can only feel / think / assess one thing at a time. So the capacity to find virtue no matter what, anytime anywhere is a Stoic superpower that allows you to find peace and equanimity whenever YOU feel like it. 

Being stronger is good. It's good for you and good for the world, for you are part of the world. But is there such a thing as too much? Like anything else, of course, there is. And naturally, the next question will be 'so how much is too much?' The answer, as always, will depend on you, your reality, your purpose...essentially it will depend on (you guessed it) your necessities.

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Who can honestly say that they LOVE making mistakes? A true Stoic can and I'll explain why while Epictetus explains how.

One of my favourite things in my newfound life is being wrong. Most of us hate being wrong (come on...be honest...) but we should instead rejoice at the idea. If one can detach from emotions, we can easily see that being wrong immediately provides us with an opportunity to better ourselves or our fortune somehow. Trying to force ourselves to do what we inherently don't want to do, is just as wrong as trying to convince ourselves and the world that 2+2=3. It is simply wrong and contrary to reality and our nature. The conclusion, therefore, is self-evident: 

By simply embracing our nature, we never have to "seek motivation" or "discipline" for anything.

Once upon a time, there was a guy named Hope, who met a gal named Fear and they lived happily ever after...or something like that. Check-in to see what Epictetus has to say about it.

I have a confession to make. I have vices. I enjoy pleasure. And boy do those things cause me distractions. If you happen to have a similar disposition, boy oh boy are you gonna enjoy the episode...or my dad joke at the end...or both...or neither.

We've all seen pictures of earth from space. We saw the same pictures...no borders. Those imaginary lines that we grew up with...and spent hours in "History" classrooms learning which border moved in what direction when...they don't actually exist. Some people made them up and we all kind of go along with it for simplicity's sake. But when those imaginary lines begin causing conflict and for generations upon generations of kids being taught to HATE, well then we should take a second to reconsider what they are and what humanity means.

Love is hard and confusing right? Nah...it's JUST an emotion. A strong emotion...possibly one of the strongest emotions along with anger, hate and fear... but LOVE is still only an emotion. So, don't let emotions take you away from your ruling faculty. Epictetus may have some words of clarity and encouragement for you, and I'm rocking a man bun with the new microphone. Let's do some Stoicism.

What I forgot to say is that I received the new mic last night. That's why I was re-recording last minute....Nothing but the best for you guys. 😘

By now we all know about the duality within. As we work to strengthen our real selves (that is, our rational minds/consciousness/spirit/soul/tomato/etc.) we ALSO strengthen our animal minds. So if we don't pay attention, we may lose the ruling faculty for an extended time...So listen to Nietzsche and be vigilant.

When it comes to finding direction in life, whether it is your 1st time or your 1000th time, the way is clear: Find your necessities and follow them to your true north. Tend to your spirit, your soul, your consciousness, your rational mind. This is the way...

Life is tough....days are tough...everything takes work, so how do you get motivated? Some guy from 2,000 years ago might have some tricks for you!

Stoicism is not focused on death, but instead, it is focused on maximizing our efforts in life. Dare to do something with your time, for it is the only thing you cannot make more of!

Times they are a changing...and this guy is adjusting. I will be making some changes in 2022 of how I interact with my fans (and INTERACT is the opportune word). My goal this year is to have a meaningful conversation with one of you every day. Whether it's merely conversing, or answering questions. #DearAnderson #StoicismforaBetterLife.

For this last episode of Season 3, I leave you with this simple task: KEEP GETTING BETTER!

Things change. Always have, always will. We perceive things change and usually don't care for the most part.........that is until the change inconveniences us. This episode explores what we can do with those feelings.

We have our duality within. You know which one is usually right. You know which one brings you more lasting peace. So just listen to it!

Want to show a force of strength so that the whole world knows beyond a shadow of a doubt just how strong you are? 

Then try and forgive someone who wronged you. True forgiveness takes a lot of strength and only those who have TRULY forgiven will know how hard it is. Go ahead...try it....I double-dog dare you.

We are not superheroes. But we expect ourselves to be superhuman. Learn to accept your limitations and you will find peace and equanimity. What could be more conducive to a virtuous constitution than a mind at peace and in equanimity? If you know it, tell me cause I want to know as well. 

Missing sleep? Can't fall or stay asleep? Here are some Stoic pointers to help you remedy the situation. Sleep better, get your rest so that you can be the best version of yourself that you can be the next day.

The only things for certain in life are death and taxes. Wait...if American billionaires are any indication, taxes are NOT a certainty in life. But I am yet to meet someone who has escaped death. We all have a shelf life and an expiry date, which means we have limited time as it will quite literally run out. So why do we live as if we will not run out of time?

Ever sit in complete silence without any distractions and just listen to your thoughts?  Yeah....this is why I wrote this episode.

In the western world (especially) we are PLAGUED with wanting to have more stuff and better things...better than before...better than others. But one question we forget to ask ourselves is: Do I really actually need that? Or did I just give up my hard-earned time and money in exchange for a collection of atoms that will end up in a landfill?

Just like you build muscles one fibre at a time...or a Lego Millenium Falcon one Lego piece at a time, so do you build your virtue one moment at a time.