Your Saturday Stoic Review — Week of July 18-24

​ ​ PASSAGE OF THE WEEK: Indeed, in the events of just the last few years, we have lived, like the Stoics, through all the hallmarks of history…extreme stress¹, adversity, chaos, and dysfunction. Life is tough…and it gets tougher. What did the Stoics do when this happened? They didn't stress. They didn't get scared. They turned to their philosophy and fell back on their training. Because, as Seneca said, that's what it was there for, to offer counsel, advice, perspective. When all is lost, William Alexander Percy wrote of Stoicism, "it stands fast." The Stoics found confidence in their preparation. They knew that stressful situations are like the fire that forges gold. Even more, it is how gold is tested—whether it's real or counterfeit. And they knew the long history of this philosophy stands up well underneath unimaginable stress. — Under Unimaginable Stress, This Has Stood Up (Listen) ​ ¹Inspired by these last few difficult years, we've assembled the best Stoic wisdom into an actionable course—Slay Your Stress: A Daily Stoic Challenge. So far it's been an incredible success—we heard from more people after its debut in 2020 than almost anything we've produced. The new 20-day challenge, which includes 6 new days, is designed to equip you with the strategies and mindsets needed to reclaim your life from the negative effects of stress and anxiety. In addition to the most actionable ways to manage your stress and anxiety (backed by thousands of years of research and practice), there will be 3 live video sessions with Ryan Holiday. The 2022 Slay Your Stress Challenge begins on July 26. ​Registration closes in just TWO DAYS! Sign Up Now YOUTUBE TAKEAWAY OF THE WEEK: In one of the most watched videos on the Daily Stoic YouTube Channel this week, Ryan Holiday details 18 Things You Didn't Know About Marcus Aurelius. Things like: he was a crier, he was an insomniac, he had his life changed by a book, he once held a garage sale, and that he never claimed to be a Stoic: ​Gregory Hays, one of Marcus Aurelius's best translators, writes, "If he had to be identified with a particular school, [Stoicism] is surely the one he would have chosen. Yet I suspect that if asked what it was that he studied, his answer would not have been 'Stoicism' but simply 'philosophy.'" He then notes that in the ancient world, "philosophy" was not perceived the way it is today. It played a much different role. "It was not merely a subject to write or argue about," Hays writes, "but one that was expected to provide a 'design for living'—a set of rules to live one's life by." Watch the full video: 18 Things You Didn't Know About Marcus Aurelius​ PODCAST TAKEAWAY OF THE WEEK: ​ On a recent episode of the Daily Stoic podcast, Ryan Holiday interviewed the award winning caricaturist, satirist, and visual journalist Victor Juhasz. The two talked about their recent collaboration on The Girl Who Would Be Free, why illustrating this book was harder than The Boy Who Would Be King, how Victor gets out of a creative block, the challenging process of figuring out how to depict Epictetus, and the joys of creating work rooted in Stoicism—here's Victor: "There's so many things I've taken from working on these books. Even though they're children's books, it made me reread the Stoic writings and re-examine. For all practical purposes—I knew about Stoicism since high school—but really did not get into until you called me up for The Boy Who Would Be King. And then that became a deep dive. And I've got to say: in many ways, especially psychologically and just looking at life as it's getting crazier and crazier, it's been invaluable. It's been a lifesaver." Listen to the full episode: Victor Juhasz on Epictetus and Creating "The Girl Who Would Be Free"​ WHAT RYAN HOLIDAY IS READING: "As she became an internationally acclaimed author, Octavia Butler was often asked for her advice to young writers. She always said that the most important thing was to write every day, whether you feel like it or not. 'Screw inspiration,' she said." — Daily Rituals: Women at Work by Mason Currey YOUR STOIC WEEKEND REMINDER: You have power over your mind, not external events. That's one of the great lessons found inside Marcus Aurelius' Meditations: "You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength." You don't have power over what happens—you have power over how you respond to what happens. (For more life-changing lessons from Marcus Aurelius, watch this video!) THIS WEEK'S BEST SOCIAL MEDIA POST: ​ EMAIL OF THE WEEK: ​Under Unimaginable Stress, This Has Stood Up (Listen) ​ ​Unsubscribe | Update your profile | 906 Main Street #274, Bastrop, Texas 78602 ​info@dailystoic.com is not a monitored email