Why am I seeking to learn Stoicism? I have to develop and boost my emotional and mental resilience. I face a lot of pressure and problems from my family, I am constantly anxious about my future, and my self-confidence is extremely low to the point that I would repeatedly self-loathe, paint a negative picture of everything, and let my fear run amok and control me. Stoicism teaches me to gain control of myself and power through life’s many adverse moments
Difficulty strengthens the mind, as labour does the body
- Just as physical exercise strengthens the body and increases endurance, difficult situations in life strengthen the mind
- Builds resilience, wisdom, and fortitude
- See difficult and stressful situations as catalysts for growth and self-improvement → a test of your mind — If you wind up in a tough or distressing moment, treat it as a training session to boost your mental toughness and mind power
- Everything stacks up over time ⇒ Just as even 10 minutes of exercise each day can reap massive benefits in a few months, small doses of mindfulness can greatly boost your mindpower. It’s never too late, keep giving the brain the workout it needs to get better
- The mind should be like an iron wall — impenetrable, strong-willed, and resilient. After all, iron is forged by subjecting it to extreme conditions and hitting it with tools to produce the end product.
The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injustice
- Natural tendency - Mirror the negative actions of the person or retaliate
- I get angry at people when I hear something I don’t like
- I lose my calm and temper easily during moments of duress
- When struck with adversity or in the face of wrongdoing, remain steadfast of your virtue and character and not choose to strike back in retaliation
- Under duress, remain true to yourself
We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them
- You cannot control or influence external situations or people but you have full power over your internal mind
- You can change your view of the situation
- You can exert ultimate control over your internal fortress and maintain inner peace and stability
- Mental resilience and toughness
Fire tests gold, suffering tests brave men
- Just as subjecting gold to fire is a test of purification, life’s difficult challenges and the suffering that comes with it is a test for you to discover and strengthen your mind and resilience
- Stress is enhancing - Tough moments level you up. The suffering empowers you. See the worst of life in a different perspective
It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters
If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid
No man is free who is not master of himself
https://ofmindandbody.com/stoic-quotes-on-strength-12-powerful-lessons-on-life/