Stoicism for Modern Anxiety: What Marcus Aurelius Got Right

Marcus Aurelius was one of the most powerful people in human history. As Roman Emperor, he commanded legions, shaped laws, and held the fate of millions in his hands.

He was also anxious. His private journal, "Meditations," reveals someone grappling with self-doubt, fear of death, frustration with others, and the overwhelming weight of responsibility.

His response to this anxiety wasn't positive thinking or distraction. It was philosophy, specifically Stoicism.

Two thousand years later, that philosophy still works.

What Stoicism Actually Is

Stoicism gets a bad reputation. People think it means suppressing emotions, becoming cold, not caring.

That's a misunderstanding.

Stoicism is a practical philosophy for living well. Founded in ancient Greece and refined in Rome, it teaches:

• Focus on what you can control
• Accept what you cannot
• Recognize the difference between events and your judgments about them
• Act virtuously regardless of circumstances

This isn't emotional suppression. It's emotional precision, directing your energy where it can actually make a difference.

The Core Principles That Help with Anxiety

The Dichotomy of Control

This is Stoicism's foundational idea. Epictetus, a Stoic philosopher who was born a slave, put it simply:

"Some things are in our control and others not. Things in our control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our control are body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word, whatever are not our own actions."

Most anxiety comes from trying to control what we can't:

• Other people's opinions of us
• The future
• Past events
• The economy
• Whether we'll succeed or fail

Stoicism redirects attention: What can I actually do right now? That's where your energy belongs. Everything else is noise.

Practical application: When anxious, ask: "What about this situation is actually in my control?" Focus there. Release the rest, not because it doesn't matter, but because worrying about what you can't control doesn't change it.

Premeditation of Adversity (Premeditatio Malorum)

This one sounds counterintuitive: Stoics recommended imagining worst-case scenarios.

Why would you do that? Isn't that just feeding anxiety?

The difference is context. Anxious catastrophizing is uncontrolled and spiraling. Stoic premeditation is deliberate and bounded.

The practice:

1. Imagine a feared outcome clearly
2. Consider: If this happened, what would I do?
3. Recognize: I could handle this
4. Return to the present

This reduces anxiety because:

• It removes the power of vague dread (you've already faced the thing in your mind)
• It reveals that worst cases are usually survivable
• It builds confidence: "I have a plan if this happens"
• It creates gratitude: "This hasn't happened yet"

Practical application: Set aside time to intentionally consider what you're anxious about. Think through the realistic worst case. Make a mental plan. Then release it.

Events vs. Judgments

Epictetus again:

"It is not things that disturb us, but our judgments about things."

The event: You made a mistake at work. The judgment: I'm incompetent. Everyone thinks I'm stupid. I'm going to get fired. I always mess things up.

The event is neutral. The judgments create the suffering.

Stoicism doesn't ask you to deny that bad things happen. It asks you to separate fact from interpretation. Events happen. Your reaction is up to you.

Practical application: When distressed, separate the event from your story about it. Ask: "What actually happened? And what am I telling myself about what it means?" The first is usually smaller and more manageable than the second.

Present-Moment Focus

Marcus Aurelius wrote:

"Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present."

Anxiety is fundamentally about the future. Something bad might happen. You might not be able to handle it. What if, what if, what if.

Stoicism pulls attention back to now. The future doesn't exist yet. What exists is this moment. And in this moment, you are okay.

Practical application: When spiraling into future worry, ground yourself: "Right now, in this moment, I am okay. I am breathing. I can handle this moment." The future will become a present moment, and you'll handle it then.

Memento Mori (Remembering Death)

Stoics regularly contemplated their own mortality. Not to be morbid, but for perspective.

When you remember that you will die:

• Petty worries shrink
• What matters becomes clearer
• Present experiences become more precious
• Long-term anxieties about "what people will think" lose their grip

Marcus Aurelius: "You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think."

Practical application: Not as a daily practice necessarily, but when overwhelmed by something, ask: "Will this matter on my deathbed?" Usually, the answer provides clarity.

How Stoicism Complements (Not Replaces) Other Approaches

Stoicism isn't therapy. It's philosophy. But it aligns remarkably well with evidence-based therapeutic approaches:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): Both emphasize the role of thoughts in emotional distress. The Stoic "events vs. judgments" maps directly onto CBT's core insight about cognitive distortions.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): The Stoic acceptance of what cannot be controlled parallels ACT's emphasis on acceptance over avoidance. Both traditions focus on committed action in the present.

Mindfulness: Stoic present-moment focus and observation of thoughts without fusion echo mindfulness practices.

Stoicism provides a philosophical framework. Modern therapies provide structured techniques. They work well together.

The Limits of Stoicism

Stoicism isn't a complete answer to anxiety. It has blind spots:

It doesn't address trauma. Telling someone with PTSD to "accept what they can't control" isn't helpful without proper processing.

It can become avoidance. "I can't control this" can become an excuse to not engage with difficult things that actually could be influenced.

It requires privilege. Telling someone facing systemic injustice to focus only on what they can control can erase legitimate grievances.

It's incomplete on emotions. While Stoics weren't anti-emotion, the philosophy doesn't fully map the complexity of emotional experience.

Use Stoicism as one tool among many, not as the only tool.

Practical Stoic Exercises

Morning Reflection (3 minutes)

Before starting your day:

• What challenges might arise today?
• What is in my control about them? What isn't?
• How do I want to respond when difficulty comes?

Evening Review (3 minutes)

Before bed:

• What went well today? What didn't?
• Where did I respond wisely? Where did I react poorly?
• What can I learn for tomorrow?

The View from Above

When overwhelmed:

• Imagine zooming out from your situation
• See yourself in your room, then your building, your city, your country, Earth from space
• Notice how your problems, while real, are part of a vast, ancient universe
• Return with perspective

Voluntary Discomfort

Periodically:

• Cold showers
• Fasting for a meal
• Wearing less than you need
• Going without something you're attached to

This builds resilience and reduces the grip of comfort-seeking that drives much anxiety.

The Stoic Mindset

At its core, Stoicism offers a different relationship with life:

Instead of: "I need circumstances to be a certain way to be okay." It offers: "I can be okay regardless of circumstances because my inner state is up to me."

Instead of: "I need to prevent all bad things from happening." It offers: "I can prepare for difficulty and trust myself to handle what comes."

Instead of: "My anxiety is a sign something is wrong with me." It offers: "My anxiety is a natural response that I can observe and work with."

This isn't toxic positivity. Stoics acknowledge difficulty. They just don't add unnecessary suffering to unavoidable pain.

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ILTY features companions with different philosophical orientations, including a Stoic Advisor. When you're struggling with something outside your control, ruminating on worst cases, or losing perspective, a Stoic-informed conversation can help you find your footing. It's like having Marcus Aurelius in your pocket, minus the Roman Empire.

Apply for Beta Access and meet your Stoic Advisor.

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Related Reading

• The 2am Anxiety Spiral: A Practical Guide: Practical techniques for when anxiety hits, some Stoic-informed.
• The Science of Rumination: Why You Can't Stop Overthinking: Understanding the mental patterns Stoicism addresses.
• Building Mental Resilience: A No-BS Guide: How Stoic practices build lasting resilience.