"...the therapist leaned in toward his camera and said, “Let’s talk about philosophy.” Philosophy, he told my husband, helps us metabolize our suffering and maintain a sense of well-being.
It wasn’t long until my husband was quoting Marcus Aurelius to me.
“What if the snowstorm is bad and school is canceled?” I said one winter morning, worried that I wouldn’t be able to work on freelance assignments with the kids at home.
“You have power over your mind, not outside events,” he said. “Realize this, and you will find strength.
I rolled my eyes and headed to my laptop.
I couldn’t deny that my habit of overthinking was sometimes exhausting. And the idea of approaching life’s obstacles with a seeming indifference sounded tempting. I admittedly was trying to achieve the equanimity of a stoic philosopher, at least in part, through my daily Prozac..." nyt
I honestly really like this. I think that watching her realize that this was indeed a really healthy way to cope with her battles was inspiring, and I think this is more a message to search for teachings that help you then to simply turn into a stoic.
ReplyDeleteChange the things that you can change, and don't worry about the things you can't. Life will be much more enjoyable for you.
ReplyDeleteThis is what I like so much about philosophy, it allows the mind to take the edge off. You think but you don't over think, I feel like life becomes simpler, you're not always stressed. Since so many people rely on medicine to help take the edge off, just relaxing could solve half of the problem.
ReplyDelete