How I practice Stoicism: 9 easy exercises

The only known sculpture of Seneca, left, represented opposite Socrates, right

Stoicism is a practical philosophy. Which means that, although there is a theory behind it (otherwise, it wouldn’t be a philosophy!), the most important part is how you do it. I am often asked exactly what it means “to be” a Stoic, or, more specifically, how I personally practice. Below is a list of the exercises I regularly engage in, each with an accompanying quote from a Stoic source and a brief commentary about how to operationalize the idea. For many more exercises (52, in fact), see the forthcoming “A Handbook for New Stoics: How to Thrive in a World Out of Your Control — 52 Week-by-Week Lessons,” which I co-wrote with my friend Greg Lopez.

Daily exercises

1. Reflection on Stoic passages

The wise man, indeed, overcomes Fortune by his virtue, but many who profess wisdom are sometimes frightened by the most unsubstantial threats. And at this stage it is a mistake on our part to make the same demands upon the wise man and upon the learner. I still exhort myself to do that which I recommend; but my exhortations are not yet followed. And even if this were the case, I should…