Introduction
In this article, I would like to share 7 uplifting Stoic quotes. These remarks from ancient philosophers are meant to provide relief and perspective for managing anxiety and creating a sense of calmness.
Anxiety is Within, Not Outside
Today I escaped anxiety. Or no, I discarded it, because it was within me, in my own perceptions, not outside.
Marcus Aurelius
In this reflection, Marcus Aurelius emphasises that fears often stem from our own perceptions rather than external events. When we understand that anxiety is only a product of our mind, we can take control over it.
Hope in Uncertainty
It is likely that some troubles will befall us; but it is not a present fact. How often has the unexpected happened! How often has the expected never come to pass! And even though it is ordained to be, what does it avail to run out to meet your suffering? Perhaps it will come, perhaps not; in the meantime it is not. So look forward to better things.
Seneca
This quote from Seneca is similar to my recent reflection on gratitude for the challenges we avoid. It reminds us that while troubles may arise, they are not certain. For more insights on this topic, please read my full article HERE.
Acceptance, Not Resistance
Do not seek for things to happen the way you want them to; rather, wish that what happens happen the way it happens: then you will be happy.
Epictetus
In these words, Epictetus advises against trying to force situations to align with our personal desires and wishes. Instead, it encourages accepting events as they occur.
We Fear What We Can’t See
Wild animals run from the dangers they actually see, and once they have escaped them worry no more. We however are tormented alike by what is past and what is to come.
Seneca
Seneca correctly notes that unlike animals, which flee visible dangers and then move on, humans are troubled by past and future worries. We suffer from an unfortunate tendency to ruminate over what has already happened or what might come, rather than focusing on the present.
The power of Voluntary Hardship
Set aside a certain number of days during which you shall be content with the scantiest and cheapest fare, with coarse and rough dress, saying to yourself the while, ‘Is this the condition that I feared?’
Seneca
It is a wise advice to periodically embrace simplicity and discomfort to confront and overcome our fears of deprivation. By doing so, we realise that our anxieties about scarcity are often less gargantuan than we imagined. For more on voluntary discomfort and its benefits, you can read my book, Forgotten Roots.
The Inner Sanctuary
Nowhere you can go is more peaceful — more free of interruptions — than your own soul.
Marcus Aurelius
By retreating within, you can find a profound sense of tranquillity that remains unaffected by external chaos.
On Misplaced Anxiety
Well, then, we act like deer when we are anxious. When they are frightened and flee the feathers that the hunters are waving at them, where do they turn, toward what place of safety do they retreat? Into the nets. They are destroyed by confusing what should be regarded with fear with what might be regarded with confidence.
Epictetus
When we feel anxious, our body urges us to fight, flee, or freeze. These instinctual responses, while sometimes useful, can also lead to unnecessary conflicts, accidents, and poor decisions, aggravating our fears rather than resolving them.
More Information
Thank you very much for reading. If you would like to discover more valuable lessons from ancient Stoicism, please consider checking out some of my other articles about self-improvement and similar topics. They are available HERE.