The Daily Stoic

Stoicism is not a philosophy for the classroom, but a philosophy for life. You use it and it makes you better. That is, if you take it seriously. If you give it a chance.

Can we really call Marcus Aurelius a “philosopher king?” How great a Stoic was he actually?

It doesn’t matter what’s happening in the world. Golden hour is there. It’s there more than once a day, weather permitting.

Marcus Aurelius' letters to his rhetoric teacher, Fronto, give us a unique look into his life and relationships. As Brigid Delaney said in her recent interview on the Daily Stoic, "if you want to understand Meditations, Letters to Fronto is a really great place to start."Listen to more of Marcus Aurelius’ Letters to Fronto | Apple Podcasts & Spotify These letters were first edited and translated into English by C. R. Haines.

While we aren’t the ones to blame for the mistakes of our ancestors' pasts, we are responsible for what we do today to combat the repercussions of their actions. Julia Baird and Ryan continue their conversation today about how forgiveness and grace have been a pivotal character trait for many great people throughout history as she discusses in her new book, Bright Shining, which Ryan called “a powerful book from one of my favorite writers on something we all need more of...and could give more of.”Julia Baird is an author, broadcaster, and journalist based in Sydney, Australia. Be sure to check out her books, Phosphorescence: A Memoir of Finding Joy When Your World Goes Dark, Victoria: The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire, and Bright Shining: How Grace Changes Everything. 

Life is hard. People are not perfect. If we cannot cultivate the ability to let things be and to let them go, we’ll never get anything done.

To be a Stoic is to be a lifelong student. You don’t read the Stoics, you study them.Ask DS: What mentorship lessons did Ryan learn from Robert Greene that he uses to help pay it forward today?How can we balance practicing Stoicism and embracing our emotions?+ More! Kick off Stoic Week on October 28th with Stoicism 101: Ancient Philosophy For Your Actual Life | For 14 days you will join a live cohort to collaborate and share thoughts with on our private discussion board. PLUS, you’ll get an invite to two live office hours with Ryan, where you’ll have the opportunity to ask questions on what you’ve learned about Stoicism!✉️ Want Stoic wisdom delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up for the FREE Daily Stoic email at https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail

The fundamental idea of Stoicism is that we cannot control what happens to us (or the ones we love), we can only control how we respond. Julia Baird knows about cultivating this resilience and Stoic response, after losing her mother and battling health issues, and how approaching grief with a sense of grace can transform ourselves and the world around us. While in Sydney, Ryan had the chance to sit down with Julia in-person to discuss what she learned from researching the lives of Queen Victoria and Florence Nightingale, and why she was compelled to write about grace for her latest book, Bright Shining: How Grace Changes Everything.Julia Baird is an author, broadcaster, and journalist based in Sydney, Australia. Be sure to check out her books, Phosphorescence: A Memoir of Finding Joy When Your World Goes Dark, Victoria: The Queen: An Intimate Biography of the Woman Who Ruled an Empire, and Bright Shining: How Grace Changes Everything. Follow Julia on Instagram @JuliaBaird and on X @BairdJulia 

If you convince yourself that nothing can be changed, that your actions don’t matter, you’re right—but you’ve also surrendered. Time and time again, one person can—and does—make a difference.

By thinking, by imagining that we’ve just been given a few months to live, we too can see immediately what we should stop doing. We realize we don’t have any more time to waste.

Though Cicero wrote histories that praised the ethics and virtues of the Stoics, his ego and his expensive tastes got in the way of actually practicing it day to day. Try to remember Cicero’s example. Learn more about the Catiline conspiracy in Lives of the Stoics and in Ryan's interview with Francis Ford Coppola | Apple Podcasts &  Spotify.

The great thing about the internet is that no one is excluded from building a platform, connecting with a community, and sharing their opinions and perspectives. However, there is a dangerous side that comes with this inclusivity. Today, Ryan is calling out the worst advice he has seen on the internet and what the Stoic counter-argument is.

Risk-taking means diving into the unknown, which is scary because anything could happen, but not taking risks is the only guarantee that nothing will change. That’s what Chase Jarvis is here to talk with Ryan about in today’s episode, as his latest book, Never Play It Safe, is a guide for anyone looking to overcome fear around the unknown, trust their intuition, and become comfortable taking the uncomfortable risks in order to get to where they want to go. Chase talks to Ryan about managing risks when pursuing creative projects, balancing urgency with long-term thinking, the necessity of constraints in fostering creativity, maintaining personal and artistic authenticity, and the role of intuition and wisdom in achieving a well-lived life. Chase is an acclaimed artist, photographer, entrepreneur, podcast host of The Chase Jarvis LIVE Show, and author of Creative Calling and Never Play It Safe. You can follow Chase on Instagram , YouTube, and X @ ChaseJarvis and check out his websiteWatch Ryan’s

There are so many things outside our control. We can’t stop a hurricane, or prevent an earthquake. But we can help our fellow citizens and fellow human beings in the midst of one.You can support those affected by Hurricanes Helene and Milton by donating to Habitat for Humanity’s Hurricane Recovery fund: https://www.habitat.org/donate/?link=1614

How do we get outside our heads when our stomach is twisting in knots and our heart is pumping out of our chests?We create mementos, as the Stoics did, to remind ourselves of our philosophy and principles.Ask DS:Why did Ryan decide to share his reflections and observations with the masses?How do we teach our children to build resilience?What are the alignments or distinctions between Buddhism and Stoicism? 

Today, the tables have turned as Ryan Holiday is interviewed by his research assistant, Billy Oppenheimer, to talk about the 10th Anniversary Edition of The Obstacle Is the Way. They discussed why Ryan felt it was important to update and expand the book, what stories and pieces of wisdom were necessary to add, and the experience as a writer of revisiting material you wrote 10 years ago. Ryan also touched on the evolving reception of Stoicism and how his perspectives and writing style have changed in the process, providing a deeper understanding of how life's obstacles present us an opportunity for virtue as much as victory.Billy Oppenheimer is Ryan Holiday’s research assistant and the writer behind the newsletter, Six at 6 on Sunday. To read more of his work, check out his website billyoppenheimer.com.

As history repeats itself in new and unfamiliar forms, we will once again choose to stand firm, knowing that while the storm may be relentless, our resolve will always be stronger.

Most of our problems are not so urgent. The stakes are not so high. Yet we rush, we react emotionally. But how much more magnanimous and wise it would be to wait. To think. To calm down.

During the month of October in America, images of death are all around us as we celebrate Halloween—and while it’s a playful time of year, it’s also an opportunity to practice memento mori, a reminder to treat our time as a gift.⏳ Get your own Memento Mori Premium Signet Ring | https://store.dailystoic.com/

A lot can change in 10 years, yet The Obstacle Is the Way remains the timeless formula for turning our toughest trials into our greatest triumphs.