> “Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.”
— Epictetus

My Thoughts:
Epictetus has this infuriating habit of being consistently right about things I’d rather ignore. Like how much mental energy I waste worrying about the news, other people’s drama, or if my favorite TV show will survive another season. True freedom, he argues, isn’t controlling these external factors but deciding how we respond. It’s annoyingly accurate, especially since half the things causing me anxiety are completely beyond my influence, and the other half I just procrastinate dealing with anyway. Thanks for nothing, executive dysfunction.

Today’s Stoic Exercise:
Today, deliberately identify something you’ve been worrying about that’s clearly beyond your control (or within your control but repeatedly ignored). Take a deep breath, accept that worrying won’t change a thing, and consciously choose to let it go or take one concrete step toward addressing it. Personally, I’m putting aside all pointless anxiety about TV renewals and actually replying to a couple of emails I’ve avoided. Remember, real freedom starts when we recognize and control our responses instead of trying (and failing) to control the uncontrollable.

About the Daily Stoic Quote & Exercise Series:
This daily series of Stoic quotes comes with a short, practical challenge—something all of us (myself included) can easily integrate into our day. Stoicism, at its core, is a practical philosophy. You can’t truly understand it just by reading—you have to practice it consistently. These daily exercises are designed to help us do exactly that: small steps, manageable tasks, and real-life application. Join in anytime, and let’s grow together.

> “We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.”
— Seneca

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