Robin Spencer - The Stoic Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Guide on How The Ancient Greek Philosophy Can Change Your Life: A Guide on How The Ancient Greek Philosophy Can Change Your Life

Introduction

W E SUFFER MORE IN IMAGINATION , than in reality. Seneca

L IFE CAN BE DIFFICULT , right? We go through so many difficult times, happy times, mediocre times, and it can be a little overwhelming on occasion. On top of this, we have work, relationships, money, you name it, and we have it.

If you allow life to drag you down, it will grab you by the ankles and pull you further into the abyss. Thats the negative. The positive? If you can learn how to literally not give a flying f*ck, and simply teach yourself how to focus on the things that really matter, you will notice that life not only gets better, but it begins to improve beyond measure, much faster than you might realise. Gone is the stress, gone are the difficult emotions you battle with on a daily basis, and you can wave goodbye to the uncertainty that may plague you.

Put simply, learning not to give a f*ck is the way forward.

Of course, this doesnt mean that you become uncaring, cold, or bitter, quite the opposite. Learning to live a life of not giving a f*ck is basically learning to live a life of Stoicism.

S TOICISM IS A PHILOSOPHY , a way of life, a way of thinking, and a total mindset. The Ancient Greeks first founded Stoicism, as far back as the 3rd century, and its teachings have existed into the modern day. Its no wonder when you start to analyse it, because it is a fantastically positive and helpful way to live your life. The basic line is that happiness is really down to you, it is down to the way you think, and it not about outside events, or your own words Stoicism and happiness work hand in hand because if you can truly grasp its basics, you will notice your life change beyond measure.

Stoicism is underpinned by the three main disciplines, making up the concept as a whole. These are:

• Perception
• Action
• Will

We will talk about these in much more detail as we begin to explore Stoicism and how it can change your life, but for now, it is useful to be aware of them.

The main standpoints of Stoicism are:

• Your overall happiness in life depends on you.
• We cant control things outside of ourselves, e.g. external things, and trying to do so is futile, breeding unhappiness and discontent.
• We can only rely on one thing in life ourselves.
• The word can be a very unpredictable destination, but learning to roll with the punches is a way to survive.
• You will learn and become a stronger person, someone in control of their emotions, without being a slave to negative feelings and thoughts.
• Life is short, and we should live in the moment.

As you can see, the benefits of truly embracing a Stoic lifestyle are huge. Now, the good news? This book is going to help you do that. If you can follow each chapter, truly digest it, and do some soul searching, changing the destructive patterns in your life that you may be following without realising it, then your life will become a truly Stoic existence.

You shouldnt expect miracles straightaway; there is no magic wand here, no Harry Potter-esque sorcery, and only the power of your own will and your own mind can get you to your destination. The further good news? With time and effort, it is more than do-able.

So, are you ready to become a Stoic?

Chapter 1: How Society Shapes The Way We Think And Behave

B EGIN AT ONCE TO LIVE , and count each separate day as a separate life. Seneca

W HEN YOU WAKE UP IN the morning, do you allow yourself to slowly come around to the day, thinking positive thoughts and looking forward to the day ahead? Probably not, most of us dont. The reason for this is that we all live such hugely busy and packed lives, that we run from one task to the next, ticking items off our to do list, without ever pausing to smell the roses, check out what is around us, or really feel our day.

Dont worry if this sounds like an accurate explanation of your life currently, because the most important thing to remember here is that you are on a journey to change, and that by recognising that you are thinking and acting in the wrong way, you can make important changes, Stoic changes, which help you live a life free of restriction and care.

For instance, do you give yourself time to notice that the sky is very blue today? Do you ever look at how bright the sun is, or how refreshing the rain feels after a long, hot summer? Again, probably not; youre probably too busy ruing the rain for making your commute to work a little more troublesome.

The truth here is that if you miss what is going on around you, youre really missing out on living life altogether. Its not your fault to a degree because society has taught us that we need to be busy, we need to rush around, we need to be successful and in order to be successful, we need to push ourselves to our limits.

Stoicism does not agree with this mindset.

There is so much pressure on all of us today, whether its about raising the perfect child, achieving the perfect grade in college, or grabbing the all-important promotion, and it can all take its toll on the way we feel. Too much pressure causes stress, and stress is very damaging to your mental and physical health. Life is no fun when youre stressed out and pulling your hair out, sometimes literally. On top of this, how do you feel about social media?