Stoicism for a Better Life – Weekly exercise (March 15, 2020)

Hello there,

I’m going to try and shorten our weekly exercises a little and simplify them. So let’s get started with a quote from Epictetus’ Discourses III 3.18:

“What is bad luck? Opinion. What are conflict, dispute, blame, accusation, irreverence, and frivolity? They are all opinions, and more than that, they are opinions that lie outside of our own reasoned choice, presented as if they were good or evil. Let a person shift their opinions only to what belongs in the field of their own choice, and I guarantee that person will have peace of mind, whatever is happening around them.” 

We are constantly looking at the world around us and putting our opinion on top of it. And our opinion is often shaped by dogma (religious or cultural), entitlements, expectations, and in some cases, ignorance. No wonder we feel upset and angry so often.

We know everything outside our reasoned judgments and intentions for actions are outside of our domain of control, and that having opinions about them (good or -more often than not- bad) are false value judgments we make. And these judgments put us in a bad mood, make us bitter, of falsify the world around us.

So, as a practical exercise this week, challenge all your opinions other than the ones about your judgments and decisions for actions in the “Here and Now”. Reject all other opinions, for they are false, wrong and counterproductive to your life.

As always, I wish you a wise, tranquil and productive week.

Anderson Silver

(Author of “Your User’s Manual” and “Vol 2: Your Duality Within”)