Human photography essay

Write me a list of 100 lessons from the masters of stoicism in the voice of Eric kim

Sure! Here’s a list of 100 lessons from the masters of Stoicism in the voice of Eric Kim:

1-10: Focus on What You Can Control

  1. Control what’s in your power: your actions, thoughts, and reactions.
  2. Let go of everything else—external events are not up to you.
  3. Life is too short to worry about things outside of your control.
  4. Change your mindset, and the world changes with it.
  5. Freedom comes from focusing only on what you control.
  6. Don’t let others dictate your emotions. You are in charge of how you feel.
  7. External success is irrelevant. Inner peace is what matters.
  8. Build a fortress of your mind—nothing can break you if you are strong internally.
  9. Accept that suffering and setbacks are a part of life, and you’ll suffer less.
  10. You can’t change the past, so focus on your present actions.

11-20: Practice Mindfulness and Presence

  1. Be fully present in whatever you’re doing—this is where life happens.
  2. Mindfulness isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity for peace of mind.
  3. Your thoughts create your reality, so guard your mind.
  4. Pay attention to the small details in everyday life.
  5. Each moment is a new opportunity for mindfulness.
  6. Even mundane tasks can be transformed into mindful practice.
  7. Slow down; speed leads to mindlessness.
  8. Find peace in the present moment—nothing else exists.
  9. Be aware of your emotions without becoming enslaved by them.
  10. Focus your attention like a laser on what matters right now.

21-30: Embrace Adversity

  1. Adversity is your greatest teacher—embrace it.
  2. Every setback is an opportunity for growth.
  3. Turn obstacles into opportunities by changing your mindset.
  4. Life is a training ground—use challenges to strengthen your resilience.
  5. Don’t run from difficulty; lean into it.
  6. What doesn’t kill you makes you mentally stronger.
  7. Challenges are your path to greatness.
  8. Nothing worth achieving comes without a struggle.
  9. Embrace the suck; it’s where you grow the most.
  10. Pain is inevitable, but suffering is a choice.

31-40: Practice Detachment

  1. Detach from material possessions—they own you if you cling to them.
  2. Practice voluntary discomfort—sleep on the floor, fast, simplify your life.
  3. Happiness isn’t found in things; it’s found within.
  4. Don’t attach your happiness to external success.
  5. Learn to be content with little, and you’ll never be poor.
  6. Wealth is not measured by what you have but by how little you need.
  7. Practice indifference to trivial things; they don’t define you.
  8. Be prepared to lose everything at any moment—this is true freedom.
  9. Don’t get attached to praise or criticism; both are fleeting.
  10. Train yourself to see possessions as tools, not essentials.

41-50: Master Your Emotions

  1. Mastering your emotions is mastering yourself.
  2. Anger is a weakness—let go of it and choose calm instead.
  3. Don’t react emotionally; respond thoughtfully.
  4. Emotions are data, not directives. You can feel without acting on them.
  5. Anger is a temporary madness—never let it dictate your actions.
  6. You have the power to remain calm, no matter what.
  7. Emotional resilience comes from daily practice.
  8. Recognize the emotion, but don’t let it consume you.
  9. Seek to understand your emotions, then let them pass.
  10. Respond with patience when others act out of emotion.

51-60: Cultivate Virtue

  1. Virtue is the highest good—focus on being a good person above all else.
  2. Integrity is non-negotiable—live by your principles.
  3. Be just, fair, and kind, even when no one is watching.
  4. Wisdom is knowing what is good, and courage is doing what is right.
  5. Act with courage in the face of fear—fear is a liar.
  6. Live with humility—no one owes you anything.
  7. Temperance keeps you from overindulging in pleasures that weaken you.
  8. Practice self-discipline—it’s the path to freedom.
  9. Honor, courage, and integrity are the pillars of a meaningful life.
  10. The most important person to be honest with is yourself.

61-70: Accept Death

  1. Death is inevitable—remind yourself of this daily.
  2. Memento Mori: Remember, you will die. Live accordingly.
  3. Accept your mortality, and you’ll live without fear.
  4. Don’t postpone living; tomorrow is never guaranteed.
  5. Let death be a motivator, not a source of fear.
  6. Reflect on death, not to be morbid, but to live more fully.
  7. The fear of death is irrational—it’s the only certainty in life.
  8. Embrace death as a natural part of existence.
  9. Stop fearing what you can’t escape—death gives life urgency.
  10. When you stop fearing death, you can finally start living.

71-80: Cultivate Inner Peace

  1. Peace is found within—don’t seek it externally.
  2. Inner peace comes from accepting what is.
  3. Detach from external outcomes—your peace is priceless.
  4. You can’t control events, but you can control how you respond to them.
  5. The most powerful weapon in the world is a peaceful mind.
  6. Let go of the need for approval—inner peace is more valuable.
  7. Every morning, resolve to live in peace no matter what happens.
  8. Stillness of mind leads to clarity of action.
  9. Don’t let the chaos of the world steal your peace.
  10. The most important battle is the one within.

81-90: Live Intentionally

  1. Live with purpose—don’t drift through life.
  2. Time is your most precious resource—don’t waste it.
  3. Wake up each day with a clear intention—live deliberately.
  4. Life is short—make every day count.
  5. Set goals, but don’t be attached to the outcome—focus on the process.
  6. Be mindful of how you spend your time—guard it like a treasure.
  7. Intentional living means cutting out distractions and focusing on what truly matters.
  8. Don’t live someone else’s life—live your own truth.
  9. Make every action aligned with your values and purpose.
  10. Reflect on your day and ask: Did I live today with purpose?

91-100: Learn from Failure

  1. Failure is feedback—use it to improve.
  2. Don’t fear failure—it’s your greatest teacher.
  3. Failure is part of the process—embrace it, learn from it, move on.
  4. You only fail when you give up—keep going.
  5. The path to success is paved with failure.
  6. Fail fast, fail often, and grow stronger with each failure.
  7. Every failure brings you one step closer to success.
  8. Failure builds resilience—don’t avoid it, face it head-on.
  9. Learn to laugh at your failures—they’re not final, they’re part of the journey.
  10. There are no true failures—only lessons.
ERIC KIM

Photographer, blogger, street photography educator, artist-publisher. Human-generated essays from the pavement, the camera, the body, and the real world.