The following is a partial transcript from Phil Van Treuren‘s recent appearance on the Via Stoica podcast.
Phil Van Treuren:
Stoicism has helped me realize that I don’t necessarily have to have strong opinions about every single thing I see in the world, and I don’t have to make immediate judgments.
It’s hard to do in today’s world, though, with social media and politics the way it is. Everyone wants to immediately know: whose team are you on? What tribe are you in? What do you think about this guy or that girl?
It’s tough to to teach yourself to not immediately have an opinion about things. But I think it’s important, too, when it comes to inner peace, tranquility, and really embracing the world.
Benny Vonken:
And that’s also part of that, the attention-seeking thing of social media, right? If you don’t have an opinion you’re not being heard and you’re not being seen.
So that kind of pushes people to share their opinion and even stronger language make sure that you are maybe provocative. Otherwise you just blend into everybody else.
And Stoicism kind of moves away from that. As you said, you don’t have to necessarily share your opinion. You can have it, but no one necessarily needs to hear about it as long as you feel good about it.
And I think that’s a wonderful trait of Stoicism as well. So I love those parts and the emotional part and allowing yourself to just, to take that pause. To just take a moment and not have to react directly.
And I wanted to ask, because we get asked this as well . . . people ask me, what are specific examples that you notice that this stuff works?
Like for example, I had it with a co-worker and I read this quote by Marcus Aurelius, and I realized I need to change my end of the game, and not get frustrated by him. But I need to learn to deal better with him.
So that was one of the specific examples that I had, and what would be an example, if you have them? Do you have a moment where it’s like, hey this really works, this is something that I can really apply to my life?
Phil Van Treuren:
Yeah, absolutely. There are plenty of examples I could give you. But one that immediately comes to mind is the realization that I can be equally happy, if I choose to be, regardless of where I am or what my surroundings are.
I used to be a person who thought that happiness was something that I would eventually find on an exotic journey somewhere. Or in another place far away, or in an adventure that I have yet to embark on.
But reading Stoicism — Marcus Aurelius specifically, but also Seneca and Epictetus to a lesser degree — made me realize that it’s not the place that you’re in that you derive happiness from. It’s the state of mind you’re in.
And I mean — travel’s great. It’s terrific to travel the world. If you’re able to afford buying a better house or putting yourself in a better place, that’s fine.
But you can be just as happy wherever you are, if you allow yourself to look around for the beauty in the place that you are.