A stoic philosophy: don’t take your (negative) emotions too seriously.

Don’t take your feelings too seriously. Because they don’t exist outside of your mind.

It is natural to feel negative feelings. To feel anger, fear, and doubt. But don’t pay too much attention to those feelings— because they quickly come and go, just like a breeze or the wind.

Detach yourself from your body

Imagine your body from a third-person perspective. Could you see your suffering?

No. Because the suffering only exists in our mind.

So if you think about it — you could remove all suffering from yourself (if you can train your mind).

You can change your thinking

The brain is plastic— meaning that the brain can change. We can exercise, train, or modify our brain (just like our bodies).

We focus so much on losing weight, building muscle, and becoming more strong (physically). Why don’t we focus on building and strengthening our minds (mentally)?

Mental training

Whenever I feel suffering (mental, physical, emotional) — I try to remind myself: “This suffering only exists in my mind.” I then try to let go of my mind, let go of my thinking. Then the suffering tends to dissipate, and slowly fade away.

I also remind myself, suffering is just a perception that comes from my brain. And that perception is stimulated by electrical impulses in my brain and in my body. I try to think of how I can “rewire” my brain, mind, and body — by changing my perception of things.

If someone wronged me, I don’t think that I’m hurt. Rather, I think that someone has helped make me stronger.

Whenever something shitty happens to me, I try not to complain. Rather, I try to ask myself, “What benefit can I take from this downside?”

When I am in physical pain, I remind myself: “This will be over shortly, and in the future when I don’t have physical pain, I will be more grateful.”

I also remind myself, “I’m going to die soon. Why waste any precious time, mental energy, or effort— complaining about my suffering?” Why not just see the world in a more positive light, rather than bathing it in a negative shade of black?

Learn to see the world in rose-tinted glasses

If you want to see the world in a more positive light, and remove more suffering from your mind, put on an imaginary pair of “rose-tinted glasses.”

You put these glasses on, and everything you see has a rose-red tint or hue to it. Colors look warmer, more vibrant. Whatever might have looked negative before, looks a lot more positive.

Reality doesn’t exist. Only our perceptions of reality. We cannot change the physical world, but we can change our perceptions.

Whenever you get shit in life, figure out how to turn it to gold.

Always,
Eric

Learn more: Stoic Philosophy >