Stoic Philosophy: Wisdom for Life and Happiness

The educated are free; reacting to events matters more than the events themselves; self-mastery leads to true freedom and happiness.

### Stoic Philosophy: Wisdom for Mastering Life
* 👥 "If anyone tells you that a certain person speaks ill of you, do not make excuses about what is said of you, but answer, '**He was ignorant of my other faults, else he would not have mentioned these alone.**'"
* 🎓 "Only the **educated** are **free**."
* 🧠 "It's not what happens to you, but **how you react to it**, that matters."
* 👂 "We have two ears and one mouth so that we can **listen twice as much as we speak**."
* 💰 "Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having **few wants**."
* 😟 "Men are disturbed not by things, but by the **view which they take of them**."
* 💭 "First say to yourself what you would be, and then **do what you have to do**."
* 😊 "There is only one way to happiness, and that is to **cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will**."

if anyone tells you that a certain person speaks ill of you, do not make excuses about what is said of you, but answer, He was ignorant to my other faults, else he would not have mentioned these alone. [Music] Only the educated are free. [Music] It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it, that matters. [Music] We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak. Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants. Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them. [Music] First say to yourself what you would be, and then do what you have to do. [Music] There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will. If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid. [Music] No man is free who is not master of himself. [Music] Here's a wise man who does not grieve.

for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems. There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will. [Music] The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best. It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it, that matters. He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at. Other people's views and troubles can be contagious. Don't sabotage yourself by unwittingly adopting negative, unproductive attitudes through your associations with others. Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control. Circumstances don't make the man; they only reveal him to himself. [Music] It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows. People are not disturbed by things, but by the views they take of them.

to accuse others for one's own misfortune is a sign of want of Education. To accuse oneself shows that one's education has begun. To accuse neither oneself nor others shows that one's education is complete. [Music] You are a little soul carrying around a corpse. Those who think they can damage me do not know who I am. They do not know what I think. They cannot even touch the things which are really mine. And with which I live. [Music] First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak. [Music] Attach yourself to what is spiritually superior, regardless of what other people think or do. Hold to your true aspirations, no matter what is going on around you. The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests. No man is free who is not master of himself. He is a wise man who does not grieve for things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. Seek not the good in external things.

seek it in yourselves. [Music] Do not try to seem wise to us. [Music] Don't see to have events happen as you wish, but wish them to happen as they do have, and all will be well with you. [Music] A ship should not ride on a single anchor, no life on a single hope. [Music] Know first who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly. If you would be a reader, read; if a writer, write. Events do not just happen, but arrive by appointment. Asked who is the rich man, Epictetus replied, He who is content. Either God wants to abolish evil and cannot, or he can but does not want to. We are not disturbed by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens to us. [Music] Know you not that a good man does nothing for appearance sake, but for the sake of having done right. It is better to die of hunger having lived without grief and fear, than to live with a troubled spirit amid abundance. [Music] Small-minded people blame others. Average

people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness. Give me, by all means, the shorter a noble life instead of one that is longer but of less count. [Music] No great thing is created suddenly. Men are not afraid of things but of how they view them. [Music] If someone speaks badly of you, do not defend yourself against the accusations but reply, You obviously don't know about my other vices, otherwise you would have mentioned these as well. [Music] On the occasion of every accident that befalls you, remember to turn to yourself and inquire what power you have for turning it to use. You may fetter my leg but Zeus himself cannot get the better of my free will. Difficulty shows what men are. No great thing is created son any more than a bunch of grapes or a fake. If you tell me that you desire a fake, I answer that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripe. Keep the prospect of death, exile, and all such apparent tragedies before you every day, especially death, and you will never

have an object thought or desire anything to access. [Music] A prick teachers being asked how a man should give pain to his enemy answered by preparing himself to live the best life that he can. What concerns me is not the way things are but the way people think things are. [Music] Don't live by your own rules but in harmony with nature. [Music] The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things. [Music] Imagine for yourself a character immortal personality whose example you determined to follow in private as well as in public. [Music] Whoever is going to listen to the philosophers needs a considerable practice in listening. [Music] If you would cure anger do not feed say to yourself I used to be angry every day then every other day now only every third or fourth day when you reach that day's offer sacrifices Thanksgiving to the gods. If you want to improve be content to be thought foolish and stupid with regard.

to external things don't wish to be thought to know anything and even if you appear to be somebody important to others distrust yourself or it is difficult to both keep your Faculty of choice in a state comfortable to nature and at the same time acquire external things but while you are careful about one you must of necessity neglect the other any person capable of angering you becomes your master he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him if anyone tells you that a certain person speaks ill of you do not make excuses about what is said of you but answer he was ignorant to my other faults else he would not have mentioned these alone only the educated are free it's not what happens to you but how you react to it that matters [Music] we have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak [Music] wealth consists not in having great possessions but in having few ones men are disturbed not by things but by the view which they take of them

[Music] First say to yourself what you would be, and then do what you have to do. [Music] There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power. If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid. No man is free who is not master of himself. [Music] He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.

Epictetus - LIFE CHANGING Quotes - STOICISM

My name is William Mulligan and I run the YouTube channel EveryDayStoic. Stoicism for everyday people. I believe is for everyone, not Just a select few. Visit us today TheEveryDayStoicism.com


Everyday Stoic

Don't make excuses for what others say about you, but focus on self-improvement.

The way you react to events is more important than what happens to you.

Surround yourself with positive influences for self-growth and happiness.

The Wisdom of Self-Accusation and Spiritual Superiority

Self-accusation is a sign of the beginning of education, while refraining from accusing oneself or others indicates complete education.

One should attach themselves to what is spiritually superior, regardless of others' opinions, and strive to master themselves.

The key is to rejoice in what one has, not grieve for what is lacking, and to find goodness within oneself.

Stoic Philosophy: A Guide to a Noble Life

Blaming oneself is foolish, according to Stoic philosophy, which advocates for a noble life over a long but meaningless one.

The philosophy emphasizes that great things take time to develop and that one's perspective shapes their fears and desires.

Stoicism also teaches to live in harmony with nature, find happiness within, and follow the example of a virtuous character.

Strive to maintain inner peace and not be swayed by external factors, as the key to freedom lies in controlling your reactions.

The power of true wealth is having minimal possessions, while anger and disturbance stem from one's perspective on things.

It is essential to prioritize self-awareness and emotional regulation over the acquisition of external possessions.

Finding Happiness and Self-Mastery Through Wisdom

Focus on your goals and let go of worry to find true happiness.

Self-improvement may mean being perceived as foolish by others.

True freedom comes from mastering oneself and not being controlled by external factors.