episode-header-image

Jun 24

7m 14s

How to Bend Without Breaking

Allan John (What Is Stoicism?)

About this episode

Up next

Your Bonus Life Begins Now

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. Mar ... Show More

Live Like a Philosopher

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, ... Show More

Your Attention Is Your Life

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 ... Show More

Recommended Episodes

Daily Stoic Meditation for Wisdom

A guided version of the Stoic daily mindful review, the practice of looking back over your day with honest eyes. You move through your thoughts, emotions, speech and actions, not to beat yourself up, but to see clearly where you acted well and where you would do it differently.I ... Show More

The Compassionate Observer: A Meditation on Thoughts

Learn to step back and watch your thoughts come and go without getting entangled in them, creating space and peace of mind. You are not your thoughts. This fundamental insight is the key to freedom from mental distress. This meditation teaches you how to become the "Compassionate ... Show More

Embody the Stoic Dichotomy of Control: Meditation Practice

A meditation to practise the most useful idea in Stoicism until it actually sticks. The dichotomy of control is simple to say and hard to live: some things are yours (your thoughts, your actions, your responses) and most things are not (other people's opinions, the outcome, the w ... Show More

The New Stoic Morning Meditation for Resilience and Peace (2024)

A short guided morning meditation built on Stoic ideas. We sit with Marcus Aurelius and Seneca for a few minutes: noticing each thought as it comes, accepting what the day might bring, and treating this present moment as the only one you actually have.I use practices like this to ... Show More

WITH MUSIC - The Compassionate Observer: A Meditation on Thoughts

Learn to step back and watch your thoughts come and go without getting entangled in them, creating space and peace of mind. You are not your thoughts. This fundamental insight is the key to freedom from mental distress. This meditation teaches you how to become the "Compassionate ... Show More

We Aren’t Our Thoughts! Simple Steps to Achieving Inner Peace, Letting Go of Negative Thoughts & Becoming Happier, Healthier & Calmer

For Mental Health Awareness Month, we are releasing a special episode! New York Times bestselling author of “Don't Believe Everything You Think” Joseph Nguyen joins us to break down how to find your inner peace. He gives tips on how to stop overthinking, achieve better mental cla ... Show More

3280: A Guide to Letting Go of Shame & Fear by Leo Babauta of Zen Habits on Emotional Wellbeing

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3280: Leo Babauta of ZenHabits.net explores how shame and fear subtly govern our lives, often leading us to avoid actions o ... Show More

3615: Benefits of Mindfulness by Dr. Lisa Firestone of PsychAlive on Emotional Health

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 3615: Dr. Lisa Firestone explores how mindfulness can transform emotional health, boost physical resilience, and deepen our ... Show More

1193: Calming The What-If Mind A Guided Meditation For Future Anxiety And Overthinking

<p>In today's episode, Gina discusses the implications of what-if thinking for people with anxiety and shares a calming guided meditation to help remedy this adverse mental tendency. We are reminded that we can fall into the what-if thinking trap easily and that our brain is ... Show More

Align Thoughts with Peace: 10-Minute Guided Meditation for Inner Calm & Clarity

Align Thoughts with Peace: 10-Minute Guided Meditation for Inner Calm & Clarity<br /><br />Discover how to align your thoughts with newfound inner peace in this 10-minute guided meditation from Calming Anxiety. Host Martin Hewlett leads you through gentle breathwork, mindful ... Show More