Dear fellow thinkers,
Let me take you back to a Tuesday morning not so long ago. I’m standing in the kitchen, eyes half-open, dressing gown tied at a questionable angle. The kettle won’t boil fast enough. The toaster has burned the crumpets again. My wife sighs. The dog gives me a look of deep disappointment.
And right there, I nearly lost the plot… over toast.
But instead of spiralling into a grand Shakespearean rant about my tragic life, I took a breath and remembered something that’s changed everything for me:
“It’s not things that upset us, but our judgment about those things.” — Epictetus
That, my friends, is Stoicism. And it’s saved me more times than I care to admit.
What Is Stoicism (And Why Should You Care)?
No, it’s not about suppressing your feelings and becoming a human cupboard. Stoicism is an ancient Greek-Roman philosophy that teaches us how to stay steady when life inevitably gets weird, loud, and burnt around the edges.
It’s been around for over 2,000 years. And yet somehow, it feels like it was made for modern madness—retirement, brain fog, supermarket queues, and family WhatsApp groups.
At its heart, Stoicism asks one simple question:
Can I control this?
— If yes, get to work.
— If no, let it go.
(Which, I admit, sounds a bit like a Frozen song, but trust me—it works.)
Famous Faces Who’ve Gone Full Stoic
I’m not the only one whispering Marcus Aurelius quotes over my morning porridge. Stoicism has fans in very high places:
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Tim Ferriss (that productivity chap with 400 side hustles) credits Meditations for keeping him sane.
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Tom Brady, the American football fellow, swears by Stoic calm under pressure.
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JK Rowling once tweeted Epictetus to explain how she handles criticism.
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And yes, even Angelina Jolie turns to Stoic principles to stay balanced.
If it’s good enough for emperors and celebrities, it’s probably worth a look from us mere mortals, right?
How It’s Helped This Old Brain of Mine
Since embracing Stoicism, I’ve stopped trying to control:
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The weather (pointless),
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The news (madness),
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Other people’s opinions (also madness).
Instead, I focus on what is within my power:
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My habits,
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My reactions,
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And whether I choose to scream or smile when the kettle takes its sweet time.
This simple shift has made me calmer, clearer, and—dare I say it—lighter. Not bad for a bloke whose knees now creak louder than his floorboards.
Discipline = Freedom (Wait, What?)
Here’s a strange idea the Stoics swear by:
“The disciplined man is the free man.”
Now, I always thought freedom meant doing whatever I wanted. A lie-in. Another biscuit. One more episode of that series I can’t remember the name of.
But the more disciplined I’ve become—about my mornings, my thoughts, my health—the more space I’ve found in my day. Space to think. Space to breathe. Space to actually enjoy this time of life.
Final Thought from the Armchair
I’m not here to sell you enlightenment in a box. But I will say this:
When I stopped chasing things I couldn’t control and started working on the one thing I could—me—everything started to feel a bit… steadier.
And now, even when the toast burns or the dog farts mid-meditation, I can smile and think:
“This too is life. Let’s get on with it.”
Warm wishes from my armchair to yours,
The Old Grey Thinker
🧠☕️📜
P.S. Fancy giving Stoicism a try? Start small:
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Read a page from Meditations before bed.
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Ask yourself, “Can I control this?” when something winds you up.
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And maybe, just maybe, don’t shout at the kettle.