Thread by @WhatIsStoicism

I used to worry A LOT about:

- Past mistakes
- Future outcomes
- Opinions of others

Stoicism hasn't eliminated worry

but it has enabled me to deal with worries rationally.

Here are the "tactics" that have been most useful to me
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Thread summary:

1. Cognitive distancing
2. Decatastrophizing
3. Accepting Fate
4. Preparing
5. Reminders

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1. Cognitive Distancing

Stoicism teaches us to separate

our value judgements from outside events,

our thoughts from reality.

A number of practices can help with this.

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Write your worries:

- On paper & see how they look "outside your head"
- On a board & see how they look "from a distance"
- In the third person (e.g. "John is thinking...")

Say your worries:

- Out loud
- Repeatedly until they feel meaningless

"Say to every harsh impression:

'You are just an impression and not at all the things you claim to represent.'"

- Epictetus, Enchiridion 1

"Constantly test your mental impressions — each one individually, if you can:

investigate the cause, identify the emotion, apply the analysis of logic."

- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 8.13

2. Decatastrophizing

When I remove emotional language

from my worries I can

take the sting out of them.

"THIS HAPPENED AND IT'S TERRIBLE!!!"

becomes...

"This happened."

“This should be your practice throughout all your life:

when things have such a plausible appearance, show them naked, see their shoddiness,

strip away their own boastful account of themselves."

- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 6.13

3. Accepting Fate

I can't change my reality quickly

when something "bad" happens.

But I can change my expectations.

I can say, “maybe it's for the best”,

figure out the reasons why,

and have hope for the future.

"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, Enchiridion 8

4. Preparing

When worried about the future

I remember the Stoic practice of

separating what is within my control

from what is not.

I prepare as best I can then

let go and leave the rest to Fate,

knowing I've done all I can.

"There are more things likely to frighten us than there are to crush us;

we suffer more often in imagination than in reality."

- Seneca, Epistles 13.4

"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!"

- Seneca, Epistles 13.10

5. Mindful Consumption

Too much of these tend to exacerbate worry:

- Social media
- Breaking news
- Pointless arguments

This is where Stoic self-discipline comes in.

Cut out the news and arguments

and follow only what you want to

engage with/learn from on social media.

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Some examples of those sharing practical wisdom:

1. @TheStoicEmpire - "Ancient meditations for a modern world."

https://twitter.com/TheStoicEmpire/status/1330996739634057216?s=20

2. @TheStoicEmperor - "Modern meditations. Wisdom for the world of today."

https://twitter.com/WhatIsStoicism/status/1349672096314626051?s=20

3. @DonJRobertson - "Cognitive-behavioural psychotherapist and author of How to Think Like a Roman Emperor."

https://twitter.com/DonJRobertson/status/1390354315479560192?s=20

4. @EthicsInBricks - "Top 5 Online Philosophy Organization"

https://twitter.com/WhatIsStoicism/status/1352252531527839746?s=20

5. @Thenakedpoet2 - "I help build systems (habits) & instil silence (meditation)"

https://twitter.com/Thenakedpoet2/status/1300419096769523712?s=20

If you found this useful

please retweet the first tweet -

it would be great if these ideas can help people

in the same way they have for me!