Each day, as I’m thriving in the midst of whatever may happen, I like to remind me of the following stoic wisdom quote:
“Life is short, only for those who do not know how to take advantage of it” – Seneca
And today, I’m going to show you how my modern stoic wisdom routines and rituals look like… Five fundamental pillars hold the power I find in Stoicism for living a virtuous life
1. The Stoic morning ritual
This is what I repeat to myself every morning:
- I don’t want anything; I have everything.
- Give me what you want, take what you need.
- Receive without pride, give without attachment.
- Everything that could happen could happen today.
- What am I? Soul, values, principles, self-discipline, self-awareness, consistency, coherence, virtue and love.
- Am I a mere body, possessor of things, or reputation? No, I am none of that.
- What am I then? A rational being, a unique, ethical, magical and resonant being. I am unity, but I play with duality. I am unstoppable. I am action. I am the change. I’m love. I am compassion.
- What is required of me? Loving me, taking action, meditating on my actions, dancing with the moment, living awake, being generous and kind, finding risk and creating positive change wherever I can create it. Besides, to make magic flourish in each person, you meet along the way. And all that I do daily.
2. The 6 great Modern Stoic hacks
What must you know to prosper and lead a great life?
- Love Fati.
- Memento Mori.
- Ataraxia.
- Magnanimity.
- The dichotomy of control.
- Stoic visualization.
May fortune come and do whatever it wants with us, may pain strike us, may grace us, may prosperity wrap us in its mantle, or may misfortune make us go through misfortune, we will be prepared for whatever comes …
3. How to dance in the midst of uncertainty? 5 steps
1. This morning, remind yourself of what is in your control and what is not in your control. Remember to focus on the first and not the second.
2. Before you eat, remind yourself that the only thing you really have is your ability to make choices.
3. After lunch, in the afternoon, remind yourself that apart from the choices you make, your destiny is not completely under your power.
4. In the afternoon. Remind yourself again how much there is beyond your control and where your decisions begin and end.
5. And when you are in bed, remember that sleeping is a way to surrender and trust. And get ready to start the whole process all over again tomorrow.
4. How to progress each day? (the Stoic way)
Asking myself what can I change and whatnot. What can I influence and what can’t? What parts of the day are in my control, and what parts are not?
What are the necessary things in life and the unnecessary ones? Go only by the first option.
How to use the morning to respond with virtue and be prepared for whatever mess may come your way?
“Show the qualities in your power: honesty, dignity, endurance, chastity, righteousness, self-discipline, consent, frugality, kindness, freedom, persistence, avoid gossip and magnanimity“ – Marcus Aurelius.
The morning journal of Stoic wisdom
- How will my day be?
- What “fear” will I face?
- What changes do I need to make?
- What is the plan?
- What is the goal?
- What are three things vital?
- How am I going to be fair?
- What am I going to miss?
- What am I going to feel?
- What am I going to be?
And the night to cultivate inner growth?
The nightly journal of Stoic wisdom
(Little Wisdom & Seneca’s self-mastery practice journal)
- What have I learned today?
- What achievement am I left with?
- What have I been aware of?
- What temptation have I resisted? / What passion have I opposed?
- What weakness have I overcome?
- What virtue have I acquired?
- How can I protect my thoughts tomorrow?
- Did I follow my plans?
- Was I prepared enough?
- Did I fail to put into practice what I preach?
- What could I do better?
- What have I learned that will help me tomorrow?
- Where am I?
- What do I know?
All the terms of the human condition must be in front of our eyes: we should anticipate not merely what commonly happens, but everything that is conceivably capable of happening, especially if we do not want to end up being overwhelmed by rare events or events as if they were inappropriate.
5. The decision to respond only to virtue
You have the choice to be true. You have the choice to be worthy. You can choose to be tough. You can choose to be happy. You can choose to be uncorrupted. You can choose to be frugal and prosperous. You can choose to be nice to others. You can choose to persist in difficult situations. You can choose to avoid gossip. You can choose to be funny.
Whatever you perceive as deficits, remember that there are positive qualities that you can develop that do not depend on genetic accidents.
“It is typical of an extraordinary man who is situated above human errors, not letting the slightest part of his time escape without taking advantage of it (life); and for this reason, the longest life is that of the one who detached himself from everything when it offered him to dedicate himself entirely to it” – Seneca.
The rituals for Stoic Wisdom are part of the book I’m about to publish, The School of modern Stoicism, a handbook for applying Stoicism into current times, a book for thriving in uncertain times, for dancing with chaos and anything that can be considered a threat, it’s a guide for learning how to try living a virtuous life in the 21st century. It’s the first work I self-publish, and it’s in Spanish (and open to translate and publish it in English), and you can know more details here.
Atribución imagen: MS.