The What Is Stoicism? Podcast

Epizode

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  The Road to a Happy Life 19.08.2026 8min

  This episode uses Seneca’s image of the road to ask whether we are moving with purpose or merely following the crowd. A clear destination helps us resist distraction, while Epictetus shows where our attention truly belongs: on our judgments, choices, desires, and actions. The Stoic task is to be cautious with what depends on us and confident toward what does not👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: The Stories of Insecurityhttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-the-stories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Stoic Reset for a Complicated Mind 12.08.2026 8min

  This episode uses animals as a reminder to return to the present moment. Hadot and Marcus Aurelius show that life is lived only in the now, where we can think clearly, act justly, and avoid adding needless disturbance to events. Animals offer a simple model of presence: they don't argue with the past or rehearse the future, but inhabit what's directly before them.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: The Stories of Insecurityhttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-the-stories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Kindness: The Most Powerful Drug in the World 05.08.2026 7min

  This episode explores conversation and kindness as forms of care for the soul. Socrates saw dialogue as essential to self-knowledge, a way of bringing hidden thoughts into the open and examining them honestly. Phil Hammond’s story of kindness as “the most powerful drug” adds a practical modern echo: when we don’t know what to do, kindness nearly always improves the situation.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: The Stories of Insecurityhttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-the-stories Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  How to Live When Life Is Short 29.07.2026 8min

  This episode reflects on the shortness of life without turning it into panic. Oliver Burkeman’s “four thousand weeks” gives us a blunt measure of our limits, while Seneca’s story of Julius Canus shows how calm can survive even under the shadow of death. The Stoic point isn't to master time or escape mortality, but to stop wasting what remains on denial, anxiety, or impossible self-optimization.Since we can't know how many weeks are left, the task is to inhabit the present with attention, courage, and dignity.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Allow Yourself To Livehttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-allow-yourself Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  See Clearly, Act Well, Accept the Rest 22.07.2026 8min

  This episode explains Epictetus’s three disciplines as a practical way of returning to the present moment.The Discipline of Assent helps us judge clearly, the Discipline of Desire teaches us to want only what is within our power, and the Discipline of Action directs us toward justice and the common good. Hadot’s account of the reserve clause adds an important final step: act with firm intention, but accept that outcomes are not fully yours to command.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Allow Yourself To Livehttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-allow-yourself Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Live Your Philosophy Before Time Runs Out 15.07.2026 6min

  This episode uses the thought of a “last day” to test the distance between our values and our actions.Montaigne, Seneca, and Lucretius show how reflecting on death can sharpen our sense of what matters now, not later. Simone Weil then offers a modern example of philosophy lived with unusual seriousness and conviction.The question is simple but demanding: are we merely admiring good ideas, or are we becoming the kind of person who lives them?👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: When Emotion Clouds Judgmenthttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-when-emotion Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  When More Becomes Too Much 08.07.2026 7min

  This episode looks at how the chase for novelty and the habit of overextension both unsettle the mind. Cicero reminds us that possessions and technologies are not good in themselves—their value depends on how we use them. Seneca adds that taking on too much leaves us primed for frustration and anger. 👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: When Emotion Clouds Judgmenthttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-when-emotion Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Don’t Pray for Easier Homework 01.07.2026 7min

  This episode treats life’s difficulties as assignments rather than interruptions. Epictetus reminds us that we don’t get to choose every task Fortune sets, but we do choose how well we meet it. Each challenge becomes a chance to practice courage, patience, justice, or self-control—and, when handled well, to encourage others by example.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: When Emotion Clouds Judgmenthttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-when-emotion Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  How to Bend Without Breaking 24.06.2026 7min

  This episode explores the Stoic partnership between foresight and acceptance. Preparing for setbacks doesn’t mean expecting misery—it means building the resilience to meet difficulty without being overwhelmed. With Philo’s calm readiness, Rumi’s guest house, and Marcus Aurelius’s reminder that obstacles can become part of the path, we can meet whatever arrives with confidence and imagination.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Let Us Cherish Old Agehttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-let-us-cherish Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Your Bonus Life Begins Now 17.06.2026 7min

  This episode explores gratitude as a Stoic practice, emphasizing the transformative power of attention. By imagining what we might have already lost—or even our own death—we can reawaken appreciation for ordinary moments: a conversation, a child’s question, a walk with a pet. Marcus Aurelius calls this the “bonus” life, a reminder that presence and awareness turn the everyday into something precious.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Let Us Cherish Old Agehttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-let-us-cherish Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Live Like a Philosopher 10.06.2026 7min

  This episode returns philosophy to its ancient meaning: not something merely studied, but something lived. Pierre Hadot shows that figures like Marcus Aurelius practiced philosophy through daily self-examination rather than abstract theory. With four simple Stoic reminders—unity, moral good, human kinship, and the present moment—we offer a practical foundation for living like a philosopher.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Let Us Cherish Old Agehttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-let-us-cherish Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Your Attention Is Your Life 03.06.2026 7min

  This episode examines the attention we surrender to screens, busyness, and distraction.Eric Pickersgill’s phone-free photographs reveal how strange our habits can look when the device disappears, while Seneca warns that constant bustle is often just a restless mind in motion. The question isn't whether modern life demands our attention, but whether we're choosing where it goes.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Let Us Cherish Old Agehttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-let-us-cherish Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  You’ve Survived More Than You Think 27.05.2026 7min

  This episode reflects on the quiet evidence of resilience we carry with us: the fact that we have survived every difficult moment that once seemed unbearable. Seneca’s image of the scar reminds us that old wounds are not just records of pain, but proof of endurance. Epictetus adds to the lesson by showing that external events only truly threaten us when our judgments give them power.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Let Us Cherish Old Agehttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-let-us-cherish Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Only Thing You Need to Be 20.05.2026 7min

  This episode explores Stoicism as a love of wisdom and a daily practice of character.By understanding virtue as human excellence—thinking clearly, acting justly, facing difficulty bravely, and resisting excess—the philosophy becomes immediately useful and practical rather than theoretical and abstract.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: The Object is Bound to Perishhttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-the-object Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  How to Stop Missing Your Life 13.05.2026 5min

  This episode turns Seneca’s call to “hold every hour in our grasp” into something more concrete.Through Montaigne’s habits of writing and walking, and Matt Haig’s reflections on acceptance, we look at how attention can slow the feeling of life rushing past. The point isn't to seize time by force, but to notice what's here, accept what can't be changed, and live the hour instead of losing it.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: The Object is Bound to Perishhttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-the-object Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Stoic Case Against Anger 06.05.2026 5min

  This episode examines anger through the lens of Seneca and Epictetus.Seneca warns that anger harms us first, clouding reason and undermining self-control, while Epictetus reframes wrongdoing as error rather than malice.Together, they suggest a practical response: pause, question the impression, and consider the cost of reacting.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Go to Their Soulshttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-go-to-their Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  You Don’t Have to Form an Opinion 29.04.2026 6min

  This episode explores how much of our distress comes not from events themselves, but from the interpretations we layer on top of them. Marcus Aurelius reminds us that opinions are optional, while Epictetus shows how easily appearances can mislead us. By sticking closer to the facts and examining our impressions carefully, we reduce unnecessary mental noise.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: Go to Their Soulshttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-go-to-their Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Stoic Instructions For Acting Wisely 22.04.2026 6min

  This episode explores Cicero’s three-part guide to living well: let reason govern impulse, see things as they truly are, and practice moderation. These principles form a practical framework for navigating daily decisions without being carried away by instinct or excess. With Epictetus reinforcing the need to understand before we act, the focus is on building a well-ordered mind step by step.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: When Something Stands in the Wayhttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-when-something Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  The Slow Work of Healing the Soul 15.04.2026 6min

  This episode is a gentle return to practice for anyone who’s drifted or struggled to begin.Seneca and the Stoics remind us that growth starts with effort, but becomes easier—and even rewarding—once it takes hold.The aim isn’t perfection, but steady progress: correcting judgments, strengthening character, and moving a little closer each day.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: When Something Stands in the Wayhttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-when-something Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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  Guarding Your Soul in an Unpredictable World 08.04.2026 6min

  This episode reflects on the Stoic call to care for your own soul.Marcus Aurelius warns that misery comes not from ignoring others, but from neglecting the activity of our own mind.Seneca adds that a well-formed soul—guided by reason, courage, and discipline—becomes independent of fortune, because its true wealth lies within.👇 👇 👇📻 FOR MORE STOIC AUDIO CONTENTCheck out one of my latest daily Micro Morning Meditations here on Substack:☀️ Micro Morning Meditation: The Stoic View on Interior Designhttps://whatisstoicism.substack.com/p/micro-morning-meditation-the-stoic-b16 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.