Who is your favorite historical figure?
History buffs, gather around! Have you ever heard of a dude named Seneca? You should, because this Roman philosopher was basically a life coach for emperors, a millionaire who defied wealth-hoarding stereotypes, and a master of resilience who bounced back from exile like a boss.
Seneca’s life wasn’t all sunshine and stogas. He faced exile, accusations of adultery, and even an emperor’s demand for suicide. But through it all, he clung to his philosophy of Stoicism, a badass school of thought that teaches you to find peace amidst the chaos. A philosophy of defiance and rebellion against being dragged into power abuse and a refusal to be bullied by the rich and powerful.
So, what can we learn from this inspirational Roman? Here are three gems to kick you into high gear:
Focus on what you can control: Life throws curveballs. But Seneca teaches us to ditch sweating the uncontrollable and instead master our thoughts, actions, and reactions.
Don’t fear death, embrace life: Seneca wasn’t afraid of the big sleep. He believed in living fully each day, because you never know when it’s your last curtain call.
True wealth lies within: Seneca was rich, but he preached that material possessions are fleeting. The real treasure is inner strength, wisdom, and good character.
Seneca’s teachings aren’t some dusty manuscript gathering cobwebs. They’re a battle cry to live a life of purpose, resilience, and virtue. So, ditch the negativity, embrace the challenges, and become the best version of yourself. Seneca would approve.
zeal4living
Hello Jurgens! I enjoyed this post immensely. Seneca’s epistles remains a regular part of my diet.
Even though I haven’t seen you around online for several years, I still refer to you sometimes while in conversation. How are you keeping? You haven’t aged a day in your profile picture.
Hello Philosopher Muse, I am well. Thank you for dropping by. Stoicism has taught me to live life well. Lol, my profile pic is indeed outdated, I will make a plan to update it.
As to your updated profile pic: You are aging ever so gracefully.
During our last skype session you mentioned that you are into driving jeep in the sand pits on the weekends. Mind you that was over a decade ago so the memory of it could be going vague. Anyhow, I am curious as to whether you continued with your hobby and if anything significant came of it.
Furthermore, I still refer to your ‘An index of the Epistles of Seneca’ (2015/01/13) on occasion. Was wondering if you got around to updating it.
I had many good trips with my Jeep till the end of last year. Unfortunately the Jeep became too unreliable and I exchanged it for a Mahindra Scorpio N Z8. So yes I am still going off road but on less challenging roads.
I have not done any updates on the Seneca Index. I use it frequently. Maybe it is time I start writing some letters to Lucius 😃😃😃😃😃
“Relish the opportunity to be an outsider. Embrace the label–because it’s the outsiders who change the world and make a real, lasting difference.”
Someone who is very similar to how you described Seneca said that. ☝
Thank you for sharing the quote.