You may be asking yourself why study Stoic philosophy?

Stoicism has become a mainstream hit because it offers practical advice and time-tested concepts for personal development, ethical living, and finding inner peace in a complex and ever-changing world.

In an ever-changing world, Stoic ideas are a safety anchor that inspire and guide those seeking a deeper understanding of themselves and trying to make sense of their place in the world.

I’ve handpicked 7 Stoic quotes to inspire emotional resilience, strength when facing hardships, temperance and courage for every day of the week.

Monday

“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself in your way of thinking.”
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Meditations is one of those works I would put in a cliché list of books you MUST read at least once in your lifetime. Despite the fact it was written thousands of years ago, the personal thoughts of then Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius are a timeless memorabilia on the fundamentals of human experience. It is fascinating how something he kept all to himself, in his journal, has such a universal application to modern day people as well.

Almost every line of the book is quotable, but I chose this one in particular, as it does two things at once:
puts the power over our own life into our hands,
and reminds us to have gratitude, even in hardships.

Tuesday

“If you live in harmony with nature you will never be poor; if you live according what others think, you will never be rich.”
― Seneca, Letters from a Stoic

This Stoic lesson teaches us to stay true to your nature — not just that which surrounds you, but also what lies within. Your core values and principles will guide you through even the most turbulent times. We must remain open-minded and receptive towards objective criticism and new ideas, however people pleasing for a living does us no favors.

Get comfortable with the uncomfortable fact that a lot of people will disapprove of who you are, even if you are the most virtuous person in the world.

Living in harmony with what nurtures your body, mind and soul fulfills the individual. Existing for the approval of others might bring you praise and accolades, but wearing a mask daily leaves a hollow feeling of disconnect with your True Self.

Wednesday

“Well-being is attained little by little, and nevertheless is no little thing itself.”
― Zeno of Citium

Zeno of Citium is widely considered to be the founder of the Stoic school of philosophy. This quote serves as a reminder that huge progress is achieved by hundreds little steps that lead towards success.

Mastering a skill, starting a business, building trust in a relationship — all of these are valuable achievements that don’t happen overnight and require daily efforts.

Every day you contribute “little by little” towards reaching your goals, don’t doubt yourself if you don’t see immediate results. A year from now you’ll look back at your starting point and in hindsight you’ll realize how far you’ve come.

Thursday

“If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.”
― Epictetus

In the traditional Tarot deck the first card, card 0, is The Fool. It symbolizes the beginning of a new journey, a brave leap into the unknown with a sense of optimism guided by intuition.

Here’s an ode to staying true to your unique experience, without clinging to shame or regret for your mistakes. Another quote I’ve loved for years is “To start without fear is like you are already a winner”. Don’t be afraid of the greatness you can create because you might make a few (too many) mistakes along the way.

Abandon the nagging voice of impostor syndrome that holds you back from starting new things. Make mistakes and stumble over your words. As you keep going you’ll keep growing.

Friday

“If you really want to escape the things that harass you, what you’re needing is not to be in a different place but to be a different person.”
― Seneca, Letters from a Stoic

This passage by Seneca can also be accompanied by another simple, more recent popular quote:

“Everywhere you go — There you are!”

True accountability and growth is met through confrontation with the Self. It takes tremendous strength to admit our own faults in situations, especially personal failures. This is not to say one should patiently sit in unhealthy environments, absolutely not. But we do have great control over the way we choose who and what to interact with and how we react to things.

Saturday

“There is never any need to get worked up or to trouble your soul about things you can’t control. These things are not asking to be judged by you. Leave them alone.”
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

It is a fundamental Stoic principle to not worry about things that are out of our control. Anxiously fretting over things we have no influence over serves us no purpose beyond causing us mental turmoil.

We cannot control outcomes, especially when too often life is unpredictable and has it’s own way of throwing unexpected hardships on our path.

Being okay with letting go (“leave them alone”) encourages detachment from things outside our influence that only cause excessive worries. Kind of like a Jedi, let go of attachments. 😅

This absolutely doesn’t mean you should be indifferent or apathetic! (empathy is SO powerful) Rather, it’s about recognizing the limits of your power and focusing on things you can change. By doing so, you attain greater peace of mind and build emotional resilience.

Sunday

“As long as you live, keep learning how to live.”
― Lucius Annaeus Seneca

We are born with the ability to learn any language, adapt to any culture, we live and learn societal ways and despite our limited biology there are seemingly limitless possibilities of who a person can become in their lifetime.

Learning is a core principle of existence and an unfortunate mistake many commit is that they reach a point where they believe they know enough or that they cannot learn new things anymore. Yes, our abilities to retain information wane over time, but learning is a lifelong commitment that is not limited to a specific phase in life.

Children are filled with a sense of wonder and curiosity for the world, which many lose due to fears and anxieties as they grow. Nurture your inner child by embracing the ongoing process of lifelong learning. Don’t be afraid of failure as it is often through the most challenging transformations that we get to change our life around for the better. Regardless of your age or circumstances, there is always something new to discover, understand, or improve upon.

Hopefully these daily Stoic mantras will inspire a more determined, level-headed approach to your everyday life. Personally, the principles of Stoicism have clarified the way I go about my day-to-day, especially when it comes to dealing with anxiety and catastrophizing.

For anyone who hasn’t explored Stoic writings yet, a great starting point would be Marcus Aurelius’ “Meditations” and Seneca’s “Letters from a Stoic”. Both of these are the fundamental go-to books on Stoic philosophy, and I find them quite easily digestible for beginner readers.