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How do you apply ancient Stoic philosophy to overcome modern daily challenges?
Explore practical strategies for building emotional resilience and inner peace with core teachings and daily routines from Jonas Salzgeber’s The Little Book of Stoicism.
Continue reading to learn practical Stoic exercises and daily routines that will help you prepare for adversity and transform life’s obstacles into lasting mental strength.
Stoic practices for everyday life.
The Little Book of Stoicism (2019) is an accessible guide to the ancient Greco-Roman philosophy. By applying the core principles of Stoicism to your everyday life, you can become more emotionally resilient, and thrive no matter what.
You’ve probably noticed how unpredictable life can be. One moment everything seems to flow, and the next, a single setback can throw us completely off balance.
Many of us react on impulse: angry, anxious, discouraged. What if you could meet disruptions without being swept away? What if challenges could become the very things that make you stronger?
That is where Stoicism comes in. Born in ancient Greece and Rome, it is linked to names like Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius.
The teachings of these philosophers remain surprisingly relevant. Far from being a dusty, abstract philosophy, Stoicism is about training ourselves to live well in a world that rarely goes according to plan. It’s also about self-improvement – becoming the best versions of ourselves.
The Little Book of Stoicism covers the main principles of Stoic philosophy, as well as some practical exercises you can use in everyday life. If you’re searching for calm, strength, and meaning in a chaotic world, this summary is for you.
The art of living
Picture a sturdy tree with deep roots that can withstand stormy weather. To become that sturdy in the first place, the tree had to endure the wind and rain. The strongest trees are the ones that have been shaken.
The same goes for us. Life’s challenges can make us stronger, if we are not swept away by every small problem.
This is where Stoicism helps. It originated in Greece more than 2,000 years ago, yet its wisdom still applies. It is a guide for living–principles you can practice to become happier and more resilient.
There’s a common misconception that philosophy is all theory. While theory is important too, Stoicism is above all a practical philosophy.
The Greek Stoic Epictetus compared philosophy to an artisan’s work. Just as a carpenter shapes wood, philosophy is working with the material of our own lives. Every situation is raw material. Our task is to shape it, honing our craft over time.
Stoicism is a guide to the art of living. It has two main promises. Firstly, Stoicism teaches us how to live a happy life that flows smoothly. And secondly, it teaches us how to remain resilient in the face of adversity, living well no matter what.
Let’s look at these promises in a bit more detail. What did the Stoics mean by a “happy life”?
“An important Stoic concept is eudaimonia. It literally means “being well with your inner daimon.” Not “demon,” but “daimon”—your inner spirit, or “divine spark.” The Stoics held a positive view of humanity: everyone carries this spark.
So, our goal in life should be eudaimonia – living in harmony with this spark, and aspiring to be the best versions of ourselves. When we live in this way, we can enjoy a happy, smoothly flowing life. In other words, we thrive.
But of course, life doesn’t always run smoothly. How can we stay happy when we’re facing challenges?
As we mentioned, the second big promise of Stoicism is that it helps us to become resilient – emotionally resilient. The Stoics believed that the key to living well was to keep our emotions in check – not to become victims to fear, anger, or other strong emotions.
This part of Stoicism is often misunderstood. The Stoics didn’t think we should suppress our emotions, but rather tame them. It’s normal to feel fear or anger, but we don’t want to be controlled by those emotions.
Over time, we can improve our emotional resilience. Then, when challenges come up – as they inevitably do – instead of becoming overwhelmed, we remain calm. Like a deep-rooted tree, we’re able to weather life’s storms.
The Stoic Happiness Triangle
Before we get practical, let’s spend a moment with the core principles of Stoicism. Understanding the theory will make the practice stick.
One simple way to sum up the main teachings is the “Stoic Happiness Triangle.” This isn’t exactly how the ancient Stoics shared their teachings, but it’s a useful way to understand the most important principles. The Happiness Triangle is meant to be so simple, even a 5-year-old could understand it.
In the middle of the triangle is that word we looked at earlier – eudaimonia. Again, this means living happily, with everything flowing smoothly, because you’re in alignment with your daimon, or highest self. Eudaimonia is the ultimate goal in life.
In order to achieve it, we need to look at the three points of the triangle – the three main principles.
The first is “live with arete.” This Greek word might be translated as “virtue” or “excellence,” but what it really means is expressing your highest self at all times. It’s about using reason, and paying attention to important values.
The second teaching – and the most prominent Stoic principle – is “focus on what you control.” Many things in life are beyond our control, so we just have to accept them. It’s our choices – what we do with the things we can control – that allow us to flourish.
The third and final principle is “take responsibility.” Whatever happens, remember that you can choose your responses, and your interpretation of events. If you see something as “bad,” that’s your interpretation, not the thing itself.
For example, if you break a glass, and then call yourself clumsy, it’s your own judgement that hurts. A broken glass is just a broken glass. It can’t upset you unless you choose it.
If you think about it, that’s quite empowering. Whether or not you get hurt is up to you. When you realize that external events no longer have power over you, that you’re responsible for your own happiness, you’re free.
Before we move on, let’s do a quick recap of the Stoic Happiness Triangle. In the middle is the goal, eudaimonia, or a life well-lived. The points of the triangle are the three core principles of Stoicism – live with arete, focus on what you control, and take responsibility.
Those are the things to keep in mind at all times.
Daily routines
Now that we understand the basic theory, we are ready for practice. Remember, Stoicism is practical. The idea is to apply it to your daily life and keep practicing over time.
There are many ways to practice Stoicism, so do not get hung up on a single exercise. These are suggestions, not rules. Try what works for you. The practices here are things you can do on your own, anytime, to prepare for life’s challenges.
A good place to start is your morning routine—your preparations for the day ahead. Marcus Aurelius, a Stoic philosopher and Roman emperor, once gave this advice:
“When you first rise in the morning tell yourself: I will encounter busybodies, ingrates, egomaniacs, liars, the jealous and cranks.”
The Stoics recognized that we live in a chaotic world, filled with people who behave badly. Reminding ourselves of this reality first thing in the morning can help us to prepare for the challenges ahead.
Alternatively, you could try taking a more positive view of things. Marcus Aurelius also wrote that in the morning, we should remember “what a precious privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”
While life can be challenging, it’s also true that being alive is a precious, fleeting experience. The transient nature of things is another important theme in Stoicism.
The Roman philosopher Seneca recommended beginning each day with a reflection on impermanence. In his words: “The wise will start each day with the thought, ‘Fortune gives us nothing which we can really own.’ Nothing, whether public or private, is stable.”
Perhaps one of these Stoic reflections resonates with you. If so, let it inspire your morning routine. Set some time aside each day to look inward, and reflect.
You can create a similar routine at the end of the day. The evening is the perfect time for reflecting on how things went, and reviewing your progress. According to Seneca, we should work to improve ourselves by asking questions like “What bad habit have I put right today?”
When we make self-reflection a habit, we’re more likely to be mindful and aware throughout the day, which helps us to improve over time.
For instance, let’s say you reflect on how you behaved earlier in the day, when another driver cut you off. Maybe you regret losing your temper. Having reflected on this incident, hopefully you’ll act differently the next time you’re in a similar situation. You’ll be more mindful, and find it easier to stay calm.
As you reflect on your actions, ask yourself what you did well, what you could do better, and what you would need to do to become the best version of yourself. But don’t put too much pressure on yourself. It’s not about being perfect all the time. The goal here is gradual self-improvement – keeping your focus on something that’s within your control.
Discomfort and death
To prepare for life’s obstacles, we need to work on our emotional resilience. That way, when things go wrong, we won’t fall apart.
For the Stoics, emotional resilience can be trained. As a soldier practices in peacetime, we can train through mental exercises..
One way to do this is through negative visualization. Before you do something – begin a project, for instance, or go on a date – try asking yourself these questions. What might go wrong? What obstacles or difficulties might you face?
By thinking about these things in advance, you’re prepared for any outcome. If things do go wrong, it won’t come as so much of a surprise, so you’ll find it easier to stay calm.
If you want to take this practice a step further, you could try another Stoic exercise – voluntary discomfort. This means deliberately putting yourself in uncomfortable situations as a form of training.
Voluntary discomfort might take the form of temporary poverty – a practice recommended by Seneca. Try setting yourself a tight budget for a month, spending as little as possible on food and drink. Alternatively, experiment with physical discomfort – take a cold shower, or try sleeping on the floor for a night.
The idea isn’t to punish yourself, but to get comfortable with discomfort, so you’re better prepared for whatever life throws at you in the future. Also, when you go without things for a while, you’re less likely to take them for granted. You’ll really start to appreciate hot showers and comfy beds.
Another exercise to try, which will probably feel uncomfortable at first, is to contemplate your own death. For the Stoics, fear of death was irrational. Everything is impermanent, and we’re all going to die sooner or later – that’s the reality.
To make the most of our lives, it makes sense to actively contemplate death. Think about the fact that you’re going to die, or even imagine that you’re already dead.
This is what Marcus Aurelius recommended. He once wrote: “Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now take what’s left, and live properly.”
This is not morbid; it helps you enjoy life more. When you remember your time is limited, you stop taking things for granted. You savor moments and focus on what matters. By practicing Stoicism daily, you’ll build resilience and perspective. Life happens here and now. Enjoy it while you can—and aim for your highest self, so you are not just living, but thriving.
Conclusion
The main takeaway of this summary to The Little Book of Stoicism by Jonas Salzgeber is that…
Stoicism, an ancient Greco-Roman philosophy, offers practical guidance for leading a resilient and fulfilling life. At its core, it teaches that challenges can strengthen us if we learn to respond wisely, rather than being overwhelmed by our emotions.
The Stoics believed that our ultimate goal should be eudaimonia – living in harmony with our inner spirit by striving to be our best selves. By practicing Stoicism, we can potentially achieve this state, and learn how to build resilience in the face of adversity.
The “Stoic Happiness Triangle” explains Stoicism in simple terms. The three core principles are: living with arete (virtue or excellence), focusing only on what we can control, and taking responsibility for our own happiness.
Stoicism is a practical philosophy, encouraging daily routines of reflection and mindfulness. Morning and evening reflections, negative visualization, and voluntary discomfort – like practicing frugality – help prepare us for life’s uncertainties. It’s also helpful to regularly contemplate death, in order to deepen our appreciation for the fleeting nature of life.
Ultimately, Stoicism is an “art of living” that trains us to face challenges calmly, and live in alignment with our highest values. Practicing Stoicism can help us to not only survive, but flourish.