logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2025
1h 8m

How to Handle Difficult People: Stoic St...

JON BROOKS
About this episode
Some people are genuinely hard to deal with: the high-conflict ones, the boundary-trampling ones, the family member you cannot just walk away from. This episode is a practical toolkit for those relationships, pulling from Stoic philosophy and modern psychology. I get into the caretaking trap (where caring tips over into harming yourself), why empathy can act ... Show More
Up next
Yesterday
The Stoic Skill Underneath Every Other Skill
You look up and twenty minutes have gone. The problem is not only the phone. It is the tiny judgements your mind keeps accepting while you scroll.In this episode, I explain prosochē, the Stoic practice of attention, and share Name the Hook: a one-word exercise for catching what h ... Show More
7m 39s
Aug 23
Stoic Morning Practice: Start Before You Feel Ready
Some mornings, nothing has gone wrong and the day already feels like too much. This guided Stoic morning practice starts from Marcus Aurelius's own argument with the bed in Meditations 5.1. Rather than manufacturing enthusiasm, you will choose one real reason to move and one obst ... Show More
6m 55s
Aug 18
Why You Knew Better and Did It Anyway
We usually explain regret as knowing better but lacking discipline. This episode argues something more useful: in a hot state, the values on your internal scoreboard change.I connect Epictetus with hot-cold empathy gaps, self-control replication research and implementation intent ... Show More
10m 41s
Recommended Episodes
May 2023
How To Be Assertive AND Empathic
Easily listen to Social Skills Coaching in your podcast app of choice at https://bit.ly/social-skills-home00:08:38 Psychologist Craig Malkin's book Rethinking Narcissism00:10:59 The Soft Startup 00:13:19 The Empathic Communication Toolkit for Handling Conflict 00:20:47 Use techni ... Show More
22m 31s
Feb 2024
Conflict: 4 Stoic Solutions for Managing Difficult Conversations
<p>Why do we get angry? How can we challenge our immediate reactions? And what&apos;s the best way to articulate our feelings without passive aggression or a blow-up? </p><p>In this episode, you&apos;ll learn four Stoic tips to turn potential conflicts into opportunities for pers ... Show More
8m 7s
Feb 2024
Conflict: 4 Stoic Solutions for Managing Difficult Conversations
<p>Why do we get angry? How can we challenge our immediate reactions? And what&apos;s the best way to articulate our feelings without passive aggression or a blow-up? </p><p><br/></p><p>In this episode, you&apos;ll learn four Stoic tips to turn potential conflicts into opportunit ... Show More
8m 7s
Jun 2024
How To Deal With Difficult People
<p>Today, we're tackling a big one: how to deal with difficult people in your life and relationships.</p><p>In this episode, we'll cover:</p><p>1. Understanding Difficult People: Learn why people act the way they do, often because of unhealed trauma and learned behaviors, and how ... Show More
18m 50s
Nov 2023
You Can’t Change Them: Navigating Relationships Without Losing Yourself
We all have people in our lives that drive us bananas—but dealing with them doesn’t have to drain your energy.Navigating difficult relationships with a healthier approach can help you feel more in control and less affected by negativity. With the right mindset and strategies, you ... Show More
20m 40s
Jun 2025
Harness Stoicism for Successful Relationships
Do you face challenges in your relationships? Stoicism provides powerful insights, beginning with mastering your emotional reactions and responses. Discover how to shift from assigning blame to fostering stronger, more fulfilling connections through Stoic wisdom. We explore: Owni ... Show More
29m 32s
Jan 2022
How To Deal With Difficult People
In this episode, we get a few great tips on how to deal with difficult people. Go to https://7goodminutes.com/podcast/how-to-deal-with-difficult-people for full show notes. Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and share it with a friend or two! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit ... Show More
10m 24s
Feb 2025
How To Handle Difficult People & Take Back Your Peace and Power
<p>Today, you are getting research-backed strategies for handling difficult people. </p><p>In this episode, you will dive deep into how to respond to disrespect, gaslighting, and exactly what to say when someone tries to brush off their behavior with, “I was just joking.” </p><p> ... Show More
50m 21s
Aug 2021
#52 - On Setting Boundaries (Part I)
<p>This is part I of a 2-episode series on setting boundaries. In this episode, Amina and I discuss what boundaries are, how to define your own boundaries, communicate them and maintain them, as well as techniques on how to say &quot;no&quot; and how to clearly communicate your n ... Show More
1h 40m
Aug 2024
#152: 3 Tips for Anxiously Attached People to Experience Healthier Conflict
<p>In today&apos;s episode, I&apos;m sharing three tips for anxiously attached people to improve the way they approach and experience conflict. We cover things like slowing down and saying less, keeping things to one issue, and knowing when to leave the conversation and let thing ... Show More
19m 40s