The Rad Stoic #036

Yes it's not easy. Yes we wish it were. But do we really? No. So it will never be easy? Yes. So what will it be? Difficult. Well that sucks. How do I deal with it?
Stoicism.
Stoicism is the way to deal with it. But one word is not tactics. One word is not the why. Not the how.
Until you are properly trained and ensconced in what it is. Then that one word represents all of the tactics and all of the analogies and all of the history and all of the logic and all of the successes and failures and commonalities and struggles.
Tony Robbins. Mo Gawdat. Victor Frankl. Read their books. They scream Stoicism. But they never mention Stoicism. Mel said on her visit with Ryan Holiday she was promoting Stoicism with her book but didn't even know it.
But they are individuals sharing good ideas. Tony wrote a book called "I Am Not Your Guru." I haven't read that one but given the title, he doesn't want to be your guru.
A book and an author is not a school of thought to hang your hat on. A conglomeration of aligned good teachings from multiple authors is a step toward that.
Isn't that a religion?
Religions add a layer of faith into the mix - a belief that you hold without evidence. I told someone today that whatever contributes to people doing the right thing, I am for.
So the one word I mention above, Stoicism, stops short of faith and leans solely on logic. In fact, the logos is a Stoic notion of a universal rational principle.
So for me, again....for me, rather that saying " I like the teachings of Mo and Mel and Marcus and Seneca and Tony and Victor and Ryan and Epictetus to keep me on the straight and narrow," I prefer to just say "Stoicism."