FOCUS ON YOU UNTIL THE FOCUS IS YOU | STOIC PHILOSOPHY

THERE COMES A TIME IN LIFE WHEN YOU HAVE TO STOP WAITING FOR PEOPLE TO SEE YOU STOP WAITING FOR THEM TO ACKNOWLEDGE YOU TO CELEBRATE YOU TO VALIDATE THE GIFT YOU ALREADY HAVE INSIDE OF YOU SOME OF US ARE EXHAUSTED NOT BECAUSE WE'RE DOING TOO MUCH BUT BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN LOOKING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION WE'VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR OUR WORTH IN PEOPLE WHO DON'T EVEN KNOW THEIR OWN WE'VE BEEN MEASURING OUR SUCCESS BY STANDARDS THAT WERE NEVER MEANT TO DEFINE US BUT WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT THERE'S A WAY TO BREAK FREE FROM THIS

CYCLE? A WAY TO RECLAIM YOUR POWER AND START LIVING A LIFE THAT'S TRUE TO WHO YOU ARE? THIS ISN'T JUST ABOUT SELF IMPROVEMENT IT'S ABOUT SELF RECLAMATION STOICISM AN ANCIENT PHILOSOPHY THAT HAS SURVIVED THE TEST OF TIME TEACHES US THAT OUR TRUE WORTH COMES NOT FROM OUTSIDE ACCOLADES BUT FROM LIVING IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR OWN VALUES TODAY WE'RE GOING TO DIVE DEEP INTO HOW WE CAN APPLY THESE STOIC PRINCIPLES TO STOP CHASING EXTERNAL VALIDATION AND START NURTURING OUR INNER STRENGTH IF YOU FIND RESONANCE IN THESE WORDS IF YOU'RE TIRED OF PLAYING ROLES THAT DON'T FIT

OF WEARING MASKS THAT HIDE YOUR TRUE FACE THEN STICK WITH ME DON'T SKIP ANY PART OF THIS VIDEO BECAUSE EACH MOMENT IS CRAFTED TO HELP YOU SEE A CLEARER IMAGE OF YOURSELF AND IF YOU APPRECIATE WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE CONSIDER HITTING THE SUBSCRIBE BUTTON IT'S A SIMPLE FREE WAY TO KEEP THESE CONVERSATIONS GOING LET'S EMBARK ON THIS JOURNEY TOGETHER TO A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN FINALLY STOP SEEKING APPROVAL AND START APPROVING YOURSELF IT'S EASY TO FALL INTO THE TRAP ISN'T IT? WAITING FOR THAT NOD OF APPROVAL THAT PAT ON THE BACK OR JUST A SIMPLE

WELL DONE FROM SOMEONE ELSE TO FEEL LIKE YOU'VE TRULY ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING IT'S ALMOST LIKE WE'RE PROGRAMMED TO SEEK OUT VALIDATION FROM THE OUTSIDE BEFORE WE CAN FULLY APPRECIATE OUR OWN EFFORTS BUT WHY IS THIS NEED SO DEEPLY INGRAINED IN US? IF YOU LOOK AT IT THROUGH THE LENS OF STOICISM IT BECOMES CLEAR THAT SEEKING EXTERNAL APPROVAL IS A DISTRACTION FROM WHAT REALLY MATTERS OUR INTERNAL PROGRESS AND VIRTUE STOICS LIKE MARCUS AURELIUS AND SENECA BELIEVE THAT TRUE PEACE COMES FROM WITHIN NOT FROM THE ACCOLADES OR VALIDATIONS WE MIGHT GET FROM THE EXTERNAL WORLD THEY TAUGHT THAT

IT'S NOT WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU BUT HOW YOU REACT THAT MATTERS THIS WISDOM HOLDS A POWERFUL LESSON FOR US TODAY THE ONLY VALIDATION THAT TRULY MATTERS IS THE KIND YOU GIVE YOURSELF WHEN YOU'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING OUTSIDE YOURSELF FOR CONFIRMATION YOU'RE NOT ONLY GIVING AWAY YOUR POWER BUT ALSO DIMINISHING YOUR OWN VOICE EVERY TIME YOU WAIT FOR SOMEONE TO GIVE YOU THE GREEN LIGHT YOU'RE ESSENTIALLY SAYING THAT THEIR OPINION IS MORE VALUABLE THAN YOUR OWN BUT THINK ABOUT IT SHOULD SOMEONE ELSE'S PERSPECTIVE REALLY HOLD MORE WEIGHT THAN YOUR PERSONAL EXPERIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING? THIS CONSTANT SEARCH FOR

APPROVAL CAN LEAD TO A DANGEROUS CYCLE WHERE YOUR SELF WORTH IS TIED UP IN WHAT OTHERS THINK OF YOU IT'S LIKE BUILDING YOUR HOUSE ON SANDY GROUND IT'S UNSTABLE AND THE SLIGHTEST CHANGE IN THE WIND CAN BRING EVERYTHING CRASHING DOWN INSTEAD STOICISM TEACHES US TO BUILD OUR FOUNDATION ON THE SOLID GROUND OF OUR OWN REASON CHOICES AND ACTIONS BY FOCUSING ON WHAT'S IN OUR CONTROL OUR ACTIONS RESPONSES AND JUDGMENTS WE CAN CULTIVATE A SENSE OF SELF THAT IS RESILIENT AND NOT DEPENDENT ON THE UNPREDICTABLE OPINIONS OF OTHERS SO HOW DO WE BREAK FREE FROM THIS

CYCLE? IT STARTS WITH RECOGNIZING THE POWER OF YOUR OWN APPROVAL BEGIN EACH DAY BY AFFIRMING YOUR WORTH AND CAPABILITIES REFLECT ON YOUR ACTIONS AND DECISIONS THROUGH SELF REVIEW WHAT DID YOU DO TODAY THAT WAS IN LINE WITH YOUR VALUES AND GOALS? CELEBRATE THESE VICTORIES NO MATTER HOW SMALL THEY MAY SEEM AND REMEMBER NOT EVERY ACCOMPLISHMENT NEEDS A WITNESS TO BE VALID YOUR PROGRESS IS NO LESS SIGNIFICANT JUST BECAUSE IT GOES UNNOTICED BY OTHERS CONSIDER THE FREEDOM THAT COMES WITH DETACHING FROM THE NEED FOR EXTERNAL VALIDATION IMAGINE THE ENERGY AND TIME YOU COULD RECLAIM IF YOU

WEREN'T CONSTANTLY CHECKING FOR FEEDBACK OR WAITING FOR LIKES ON SOCIAL MEDIA THIS ENERGY COULD BE REDIRECTED TOWARDS ACTIVITIES THAT GENUINELY ENRICH YOUR LIFE AND FURTHER YOUR PERSONAL GROWTH STOICISM DOESN'T MEAN BECOMING INDIFFERENT OR ALOOF IT MEANS UNDERSTANDING WHERE TRUE VALUE LIES IT ENCOURAGES US TO REDIRECT OUR FOCUS INWARD AND TO CULTIVATE OUR INNER CITADEL MAKING IT SO STRONG AND FORTIFIED THAT THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS CANNOT EASILY PENETRATE IT THIS IS NOT ABOUT ISOLATING ONESELF FROM THE WORLD BUT ABOUT STRENGTHENING ONE'S SELF AWARENESS AND SELF ACCEPTANCE TO ENGAGE WITH THE WORLD MORE EFFECTIVELY AND PEACEFULLY IN

EMBRACING THIS STOIC APPROACH YOU EMPOWER YOURSELF TO LIVE MORE AUTHENTICALLY YOU LEARN TO ACT NOT FOR THE APPLAUSE BUT FOR THE SAKE OF THE ACTION ITSELF AND WHEN YOU DO RECEIVE EXTERNAL VALIDATION IT BECOMES NOT A NECESSITY BUT A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE SATISFACTION YOU'VE ALREADY DERIVED FROM YOUR OWN SELF APPROVAL FALLING INTO THE TRAP OF SEEKING VALIDATION FROM OTHERS IS SOMETHING WE'VE ALL EXPERIENCED AT ONE POINT OR ANOTHER IT'S LIKE WE'RE ON STAGE CONSTANTLY PERFORMING HOPING OUR AUDIENCE APPROVES THIS NEED FOR VALIDATION CAN BE ALL CONSUMING AND IRONICALLY THE MORE WE SEEK IT THE

LESS SATISFIED WE FEEL WHY DO WE GIVE SO MUCH POWER TO THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS? WHY DO WE LET THE LIKES COMMENTS AND APPROVALS DICTATE OUR SELF WORTH AND HAPPINESS? THE ANCIENT STOICS HAD A PRETTY CLEAR VIEW ON THIS THEY BELIEVED THAT THE ONLY THING TRULY WORTH VALUING WAS VIRTUE AND THAT THE PURSUIT OF VIRTUE SHOULD BE DONE FOR ITS OWN SAKE NOT FOR RECOGNITION FROM OTHERS THEY TAUGHT THAT TRUE HAPPINESS COMES FROM WITHIN FROM KNOWING THAT YOU ARE LIVING A LIFE ALIGNED WITH YOUR MORAL VALUES REGARDLESS OF OUTSIDE APPROVAL SENECA ONE OF THE STOIC

PHILOSOPHERS WROTE EXTENSIVELY ABOUT THE FUTILITY OF PLACING ONE'S HAPPINESS IN THE HANDS OF OTHERS HE ARGUED THAT WHEN YOU ALLOW YOUR EMOTIONAL WELL BEING TO DEPEND ON THE PRAISE OR CRITICISM OF OTHERS YOU ARE NO LONGER IN CONTROL OF YOUR OWN HAPPINESS THIS DEPENDENCE ON EXTERNAL VALIDATION NOT ONLY AFFECTS OUR EMOTIONAL WELL BEING BUT ALSO IMPACTS OUR DECISION MAKING HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU CHANGED YOUR PLANS BECAUSE YOU WORRIED ABOUT WHAT OTHERS WOULD THINK? OR MAYBE YOU'VE TAKEN ON PROJECTS THAT DIDN'T ALIGN WITH YOUR PASSIONS JUST BECAUSE THEY WERE MORE LIKELY TO EARN YOU PRAISE OR

RECOGNITION WHEN WE LIVE LIKE THIS WE'RE NOT REALLY LIVING OUR OWN LIVES WE'RE LIVING FOR OTHER PEOPLE AND THIS CAN LEAD US TO MAKE CHOICES THAT AREN'T TRUE TO WHO WE ARE WHICH ONLY LEADS TO REGRET AND DISSATISFACTION THE TRAP OF EXTERNAL VALIDATION IS PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS IN TODAY'S DIGITAL AGE WHERE SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS PROVIDE INSTANT FEEDBACK FOR EVERY ASPECT OF OUR LIVES IT'S EASY TO GET CAUGHT UP IN THE NUMBER OF FOLLOWERS LIKES OR COMMENTS WE RECEIVE BUT STOICISM TEACHES US TO QUESTION THESE EXTERNAL SOURCES OF SUPPOSED VALUE MARCUS AURELIUS ANOTHER STOIC PHILOSOPHER AND A

ROMAN EMPEROR REMINDED HIMSELF TO DISREGARD THE APPLAUSE OF OTHERS FOCUSING INSTEAD ON HIS OWN ACTIONS AND THEIR ALIGNMENT WITH HIS VALUES HE KNEW THAT THE SWEETNESS OF OTHER PEOPLE'S APPROVAL IS FLEETING AND THAT TRUE CONTENTMENT COMES FROM LIVING A LIFE YOU RESPECT BREAKING FREE FROM THE NEED FOR EXTERNAL VALIDATION INVOLVES TURNING INWARD AND FOCUSING ON SELF REFLECTION SELF APPROVAL AND PERSONAL GROWTH IT MEANS UNDERSTANDING AND ACCEPTING THAT NOT EVERYONE WILL AGREE WITH OR SUPPORT YOUR DECISIONS AND THAT'S OKAY IT'S ABOUT RESPECTING YOUR OWN OPINIONS MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE'S AND TRUSTING IN YOUR OWN JUDGEMENT THIS

ISN'T TO SAY FEEDBACK FROM OTHERS IS ALWAYS BAD BUT IT SHOULDN'T BE THE FOUNDATION UPON WHICH YOU BUILD YOUR SELF ESTEEM OR HAPPINESS TO START THIS JOURNEY BEGIN BY IDENTIFYING THE AREAS IN YOUR LIFE WHERE YOU SEEK APPROVAL MOST ASK YOURSELF WHY YOU SEEK VALIDATION IN THESE AREAS AND WHAT IT WOULD MEAN TO STOP CONSIDER JOURNALLING ABOUT YOUR FINDINGS TO CLARIFY YOUR THOUGHTS ALSO PRACTICE MINDFULNESS TO STAY PRESENT AND FOCUSED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES RATHER THAN HOW THEY MIGHT BE PERCEIVED BY OTHERS MINDFULNESS CAN HELP YOU DEVELOP A STRONGER CONNECTION TO YOUR INNER SELF REDUCING

THE IMPULSE TO LOOK OUTSIDE FOR AFFIRMATION IN A WORLD THAT OFTEN FEELS LIKE IT'S PULLING US IN A THOUSAND DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS IT'S EASY TO LOSE SIGHT OF WHAT REALLY MATTERS OURSELVES WE GET SO CAUGHT UP IN TRYING TO MEET EVERYONE ELSE'S EXPECTATIONS THAT WE FORGET TO FOCUS ON OUR OWN NEEDS AND GOALS BUT LET ME TELL YOU CENTERING YOUR LIFE AROUND YOUR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT ISN'T JUST BENEFICIAL IT'S ESSENTIAL THIS ISN'T ABOUT BECOMING SELF CENTRED IT'S ABOUT BECOMING SELF DIRECTED ABOUT STEERING YOUR OWN SHIP NOW IF WE TAKE A PAGE FROM THE STOICS THEY TELL US

SOMETHING INCREDIBLY PROFOUND YET STRAIGHTFORWARD YOU HAVE POWER OVER YOUR MIND NOT OUTSIDE EVENTS REALIZE THIS AND YOU WILL FIND STRENGTH AS MARCUS AURELIUS FAMOUSLY SAID THIS STOIC PRINCIPLE REMINDS US THAT FOCUSING ON OURSELVES AND WHAT WE CAN CONTROL NOT ONLY LEADS TO PERSONAL STRENGTH BUT ALSO SHIELDS US FROM THE CHAOS OF WHAT WE CAN'T CONTROL BY PRIORITIZING OUR INTERNAL GROWTH WE CULTIVATE RESILIENCE AND INDEPENDENCE KEY ATTRIBUTES THAT ALLOW US TO NAVIGATE LIFE'S CHALLENGES WITH GRACE AND COMPOSURE WHEN WE SHIFT OUR FOCUS INWARD WE START TO DEVELOP A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF WHO WE ARE AND WHAT

WE TRULY WANT OUT OF LIFE THIS SELF AWARENESS IS THE FOUNDATION OF ALL PERSONAL GROWTH IT'S ABOUT ASKING YOURSELF SOME TOUGH QUESTIONS WHAT ARE MY VALUES? WHAT AM I PASSIONATE ABOUT? WHAT KIND OF PERSON DO I WANT TO BE? THE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS CAN'T BE FOUND IN THE OUTSIDE WORLD THEY COME FROM DEEP REFLECTION AND HONEST SELF ASSESSMENT MOREOVER SELF FOCUS ALLOWS US TO SET AND ACHIEVE PERSONAL GOALS THAT ARE ALIGNED WITH OUR TRUE SELVES NOT WITH WHAT OTHERS EXPECT OF US THIS IS CRITICAL BECAUSE PURSUING GOALS THAT REFLECT OUR VALUES AND ASPIRATIONS LEADS

TO GREATER FULFILMENT AND HAPPINESS IMAGINE SETTING A GOAL BASED PURELY ON YOUR INTERESTS AND THEN ACHIEVING IT THE SATISFACTION THAT COMES FROM THIS ACHIEVEMENT IS PURE AND UNTAINTED BY THE NEED FOR EXTERNAL VALIDATION ANOTHER KEY ASPECT OF FOCUSING ON YOURSELF INVOLVES TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR OWN LIFE ANOTHER STOIC TENET STOICISM TEACHES THAT OUR REACTIONS EMOTIONS AND DECISIONS ARE UP TO US WHEN YOU EMBRACE THIS LEVEL OF RESPONSIBILITY YOU EMPOWER YOURSELF TO MAKE CHANGES THAT LEAD TO A MORE FULFILLING LIFE YOU STOP BLAMING OTHERS OR EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES FOR YOUR UNHAPPINESS AND START MAKING PROACTIVE CHOICES TO

IMPROVE YOUR SITUATION FURTHERMORE CONCENTRATING ON YOUR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT HELPS YOU CULTIVATE VIRTUES SUCH AS DISCIPLINE PATIENCE AND COURAGE THESE ARE QUALITIES THAT ACCORDING TO STOICISM DEFINE A GOOD LIFE BY FOCUSING ON DEVELOPING THESE VIRTUES WE NOT ONLY IMPROVE OURSELVES BUT ALSO OUR ABILITY TO CONTRIBUTE POSITIVELY TO THE LIVES OF OTHERS IT'S A WIN WIN AS YOU BETTER YOURSELF YOU ALSO BECOME BETTER EQUIPPED TO HELP THOSE AROUND YOU SELF FOCUS ALSO MEANS PRIORITIZING SELF CARE WHICH IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED IN OUR BUSY LIVES TAKING TIME FOR YOURSELF TO REST REFLECT AND REJUVENATE IS NOT SELFISH IT'S NECESSARY

FOR MAINTAINING MENTAL AND PHYSICAL HEALTH WHEN WE NEGLECT SELF CARE WE RISK BURNING OUT WHICH CAN DERAIL OUR EFFORTS TO LIVE A VIRTUOUS AND PRODUCTIVE LIFE WHEN YOU FOCUS ON DEVELOPING YOURSELF YOU REDUCE YOUR DEPENDENCY ON EXTERNAL VALIDATION YOU START TO VALIDATE YOURSELF BASED ON YOUR OWN CRITERIA OF SUCCESS THIS SHIFT NOT ONLY BOOSTS YOUR SELF ESTEEM BUT ALSO MAKES YOU LESS VULNERABLE TO CRITICISM AND REJECTION IT HELPS YOU MAINTAIN A STEADY COURSE EVEN WHEN EXTERNAL APPROVAL WAIVERS LET'S TALK ABOUT SHIFTING YOUR FOCUS INWARD BECAUSE KNOWING YOU SHOULD FOCUS ON YOURSELF AND ACTUALLY DOING IT

ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS RIGHT MAKING THAT SHIFT CAN SEEM DAUNTING AT FIRST BUT WITH PRACTICAL STEPS IT BECOMES MANAGEABLE AND FRANKLY TRANSFORMATIVE IT'S LIKE TURNING YOUR GAZE FROM A MIRROR REFLECTING THE WORLD BACK TO YOU TO A WINDOW LOOKING OUT ONTO THE LANDSCAPE OF YOUR OWN LIFE AND POTENTIAL ONE OF THE FIRST STEPS IN THIS SHIFT IS SETTING CLEAR PERSONAL GOALS THAT REFLECT YOUR TRUE ASPIRATIONS AND NOT WHAT SOMEONE ELSE EXPECTS OF YOU THIS COULD MEAN SITTING DOWN AND REALLY THINKING ABOUT WHAT YOU WANT IN AREAS LIKE YOUR CAREER PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS HEALTH AND PERSONAL

DEVELOPMENT STOICISM TEACHES US TO ACT WITH PURPOSE AND INTENTION AND THAT STARTS WITH KNOWING WHAT YOU'RE AIMING FOR WRITE THESE GOALS DOWN MAKE THEM SPECIFIC AND REMEMBER THESE ARE FOR YOU AND YOU ALONE NOT TO IMPRESS ANYONE ELSE ANOTHER CRUCIAL STEP IS CULTIVATING SELF AWARENESS A CORE TENET IN STOIC PHILOSOPHY START BY OBSERVING YOUR THOUGHTS AND EMOTIONS THROUGHOUT THE DAY HOW MUCH ARE YOUR DECISIONS INFLUENCED BY OTHERS ARE YOU CHOOSING PATHS BECAUSE THEY ALIGN WITH YOUR VALUES OR BECAUSE THEY SEEM TO BE WHAT OTHERS WOULD APPROVE OF JOURNALING CAN BE AN INCREDIBLE TOOL HERE BY

WRITING DOWN YOUR THOUGHTS AND REACTIONS YOU CAN BEGIN TO SEE PATTERNS AND UNDERSTAND YOUR TRUE MOTIVATIONS OVER TIME THIS PRACTICE WILL HELP YOU MAKE CHOICES THAT ARE MORE ALIGNED WITH YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF MOREOVER STOICISM ISN'T JUST ABOUT REFLECTION IT'S ABOUT ACTION MARCUS AURELIUS OFTEN SPOKE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF ACTION OVER WORDS SO ANOTHER STEP IS TO START SMALL WITH CHANGES THAT REINFORCE YOUR NEW FOCUS CHOOSE ONE AREA TO IMPROVE THAT FEELS ESPECIALLY SIGNIFICANT TO YOU IF IT'S HEALTH MAYBE COMMIT TO A DAILY WALK IF IT'S INTELLECTUAL GROWTH READ A BOOK EVERY MONTH THE KEY HERE

IS CONSISTENCY SMALL CONSISTENT ACTIONS OVER TIME LEAD TO SUBSTANTIAL CHANGES NOT OVERNIGHT GESTURES IN ADDITION TO THESE PERSONAL ENDEAVOURS PRACTICE SAYING NO TO THINGS THAT DON'T ALIGN WITH YOUR GOALS OR VALUES THIS MIGHT BE ONE OF THE TOUGHEST STEPS BECAUSE IT INVOLVES SETTING BOUNDARIES STOICISM TEACHES US THE VALUE OF OUR TIME AND ENERGY BOTH OF WHICH ARE LIMITED RESOURCES BY SAYING NO TO THINGS THAT DRAIN OR STRAY FROM YOUR PATH YOU CAN SERVE THESE PRECIOUS RESOURCES FOR WHAT TRULY MATTERS THIS MIGHT FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE AT FIRST ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE USED TO PLEASING OTHERS BUT IT STRENGTHENS

YOUR COMMITMENT TO YOURSELF STOICISM ENCOURAGES US TO DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN WHAT WE CAN CONTROL AND WHAT WE CAN'T A LOT OF OUR MENTAL ENERGY IS WASTED ON THE LATTER A PRACTICAL APPROACH HERE IS TO ACTIVELY REDIRECT YOUR FOCUS WHENEVER YOU FIND YOURSELF WORRYING ABOUT UNCONTROLLABLE OUTCOMES ASK YOURSELF IS THIS WITHIN MY POWER IF IT'S NOT GUIDE YOUR FOCUS BACK TO WHAT YOU CAN INFLUENCE THIS COULD BE YOUR EFFORT YOUR ATTITUDE OR YOUR PREPARATION OVER TIME THIS PRACTICE HELPS BUILD MENTAL RESILIENCE AND CLARITY KEEPING YOU CENTRED ON YOUR OWN JOURNEY RATHER THAN EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES IMAGINE STARTING EACH

DAY WITH A SIMPLE YET PROFOUND RITUAL STANDING BEFORE A MIRROR NOT JUST TO CHECK YOUR APPEARANCE BUT TO TRULY SEE YOURSELF THIS MIRROR ISN'T YOUR ORDINARY GLASS IT'S MORE LIKE A PORTAL REFLECTING NOT JUST YOUR EXTERNAL SELF BUT YOUR INNER TRUTH AS WELL EVERY MORNING AS YOU LOOK INTO THIS MIRROR IT ASKS YOU SILENTLY ARE YOU LIVING FOR THEM OR ARE YOU LIVING FOR YOU THIS ISN'T ABOUT VANITY IT'S ABOUT VISIBILITY YOUR OWN VISIBILITY TO YOURSELF NOW THINK ABOUT HOW OFTEN WE USE MIRRORS ONLY TO ADJUST OUR EXTERNAL APPEARANCE TO MAKE SURE WE LOOK RIGHT

FOR THE WORLD OUTSIDE BUT WHAT IF WE USED IT INSTEAD AS A TOOL FOR INTROSPECTION AND ALIGNMENT WITH OUR INNER VALUES THIS IDEA TIES CLOSELY TO STOIC PHILOSOPHY WHERE THE EMPHASIS IS OFTEN ON INTERNAL RATHER THAN EXTERNAL REALITIES THE STOICS LIKE EPIC TEETERS WOULD ARGUE THAT THE REFLECTION WE SHOULD BE MOST CONCERNED WITH IS THE ONE THAT SHOWS HOW OUR ACTIONS ALIGN WITH OUR PRINCIPLES IN THIS MIRROR METAPHOR EACH REFLECTION BECOMES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SELF ASSESSMENT AND GROWTH WHEN YOU LOOK INTO THIS MIRROR YOU DON'T JUST SEE WHO YOU ARE YOU SEE WHO YOU COULD

BECOME IT REFLECTS BACK AT YOU THE AREAS WHERE YOU'RE STRONG AND THE PARTS WHERE YOU NEED TO GROW IT DOESN'T SUGARCOAT OR DISTORT IT SIMPLY SHOWS WHAT'S THERE URGING YOU TO CONFRONT YOUR TRUE SELF WARTS AND ALL AND AS YOU MAKE THIS A DAILY PRACTICE THE MIRROR BEGINS TO SERVE AS A REMINDER OF YOUR JOURNEY TOWARDS SELF MASTERY THE STOICS BELIEVED THAT WISDOM COMES FROM CONSTANT LEARNING ABOUT ONESELF AND THE WORLD AND WHAT BETTER WAY TO FACILITATE THIS THAN THROUGH A TOOL THAT REFLECTS YOUR TRUE SELF BY USING THE MIRROR TO GAUGE YOUR GROWTH YOU

CAN START TO SEE CHANGES OVER TIME MAYBE YOU NOTICE THAT YOU'RE SMILING MORE NOT BECAUSE YOU'RE HAPPIER EVERY SINGLE MOMENT BUT BECAUSE YOU'RE BECOMING MORE AT PEACE WITH WHO YOU ARE PERHAPS YOU SEE A NEW LIGHT IN YOUR EYES A REFLECTION OF THE CONFIDENCE YOU FEEL FROM LIVING AUTHENTICALLY BUT THIS MIRROR DOES MORE THAN JUST REFLECT IT ALSO TEACHES IT TEACHES YOU TO FOCUS ON WHAT'S WITHIN YOUR CONTROL YOUR RESPONSES YOUR ATTITUDES AND YOUR BEHAVIORS EVERY GLANCE IS A REMINDER ARE MY ACTIONS TODAY REFLECTIVE OF THE PERSON I ASPIRE TO BE AM I LIVING TRUE

TO MY VALUES OR AM I MERELY REACTING TO WHAT'S BEING THROWN MY WAY THIS IS THE STOIC CHALLENGE USING WHAT YOU SEE IN THE MIRROR TO MAKE DELIBERATE THOUGHTFUL CHOICES ABOUT HOW YOU LIVE THE MIRROR METAPHOR ALSO EXTENDS BEYOND THE INDIVIDUAL IT CAN ACT AS A SYMBOL FOR HOW WE PROJECT OURSELVES INTO THE WORLD JUST AS WE CHOOSE WHAT TO WEAR EACH DAY WE ALSO CHOOSE WHICH ATTITUDES AND PERSONAS WE PRESENT TO OTHERS ARE WE SHOWING OUR TRUE SELVES OR ARE WE MASKING OUR REALITY WITH WHAT WE THINK PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THE STOIC GOAL

HERE WOULD BE TO ENSURE THAT THERE IS CONGRUENCE BETWEEN THE INNER SELF AND ITS OUTWARD EXPRESSION REDUCING THE DISCREPANCIES BETWEEN WHO WE ARE AND HOW WE WISH TO BE PERCEIVED SOMETIMES IN THE HUSTLE OF EVERYDAY LIFE IT'S EASY TO FORGET THAT WE ARE THE AUTHORS OF OUR OWN STORIES WE CAN BECOME PASSIVE CHARACTERS REACTING TO WHAT HAPPENS RATHER THAN ACTIVELY SHAPING OUR DESTINY BUT HERE'S A POWERFUL REMINDER YOU HAVE THE ULTIMATE POWER TO EMPOWER YOURSELF AND MOVE FORWARD REGARDLESS OF YOUR CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES IT'S ABOUT SEIZING THAT PEN AND STARTING TO WRITE YOUR OWN NARRATIVE TO

START TAKING CONTROL AND EMPOWERING YOURSELF FIRST ACKNOWLEDGE WHERE YOU ARE WITHOUT JUDGMENT ACCEPTANCE IS A KEY STOIC PRACTICE SEEING THINGS FOR WHAT THEY ARE NOT WORSE THAN THEY ARE THIS ISN'T ABOUT RESIGNATION BUT ABOUT RECOGNIZING YOUR STARTING POINT FROM HERE ASK YOURSELF WHAT IS WITHIN MY CONTROL THIS MIGHT BE YOUR ATTITUDE YOUR EFFORT THE PEOPLE YOU CHOOSE TO SURROUND YOURSELF WITH OR THE BOUNDARIES YOU SET FOCUSING ON THESE ASPECTS LETS YOU RECLAIM A LOT OF POWER THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE FEEL LOST TO EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES NEXT SET INTENTIONS THAT ARE ROOTED DEEPLY IN YOUR PERSONAL VALUES WHAT

ARE THE PRINCIPLES THAT YOU HOLD DEAR HONESTY COURAGE COMPASSION PERSEVERANCE DEFINE WHAT THESE MEAN TO YOU IN PRACTICAL TERMS FOR EXAMPLE IF INTEGRITY IS IMPORTANT TO YOU YOU MIGHT DECIDE THAT MOVING FORWARD MEANS MAKING PROMISES ONLY WHEN YOU KNOW YOU CAN KEEP THEM BY ALIGNING YOUR ACTIONS WITH YOUR VALUES YOU ENSURE THAT EVERY STEP YOU TAKE IS INFUSED WITH PURPOSE AND MEANING THEN TAKE SMALL CONSISTENT STEPS TOWARD YOUR GOALS THE STOICS WERE BIG ON THE IDEA OF PROGRESS THROUGH DAILY PRACTICE THEY BELIEVE THAT EXCELLENCE WASN'T AN ACT BUT A HABIT SO THINK ABOUT THE HABITS

THAT COULD LEAD YOU TO WHERE YOU WANT TO BE IF YOUR GOAL IS TO BE HEALTHIER START WITH SOMETHING MANAGEABLE LIKE REPLACING ONE SUGARY DRINK WITH WATER EACH DAY IT'S THESE LITTLE VICTORIES THAT BUILD MOMENTUM AND CREATE LASTING CHANGE IT'S ALSO CRUCIAL TO REFLECT REGULARLY ON YOUR PROGRESS SELF REFLECTION IS A TOOL THAT STOICS USE TO CULTIVATE SELF AWARENESS AND SELF IMPROVEMENT TAKE TIME EACH DAY OR WEEK TO CONTEMPLATE WHAT YOU'VE DONE WELL AND WHERE YOU COULD IMPROVE THIS ISN'T ABOUT BEING HARD ON YOURSELF BUT ABOUT FINDING OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH REFLECTION HELPS YOU SEE NOT

JUST WHERE YOU WENT WRONG BUT ALSO HOW FAR YOU'VE COME WHICH IS INCREDIBLY EMPOWERING MOREOVER PREPARE YOURSELF FOR SETBACKS THEY ARE INEVITABLE BUT A STOIC VIEWS THEM NOT AS FAILURES BUT AS OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN AND STRENGTHEN RESOLVE WHEN FACED WITH CHALLENGES INSTEAD OF GETTING DISCOURAGED ASK YOURSELF WHAT THIS SITUATION CAN TEACH YOU WHAT CAN YOU LEARN FROM THIS THAT WILL HELP YOU MOVE FORWARD EVERY OBSTACLE IS A CHANCE TO PRACTICE SOME VIRTUE PATIENCE RESILIENCE COURAGE FINALLY EMPOWER YOURSELF BY CONTROLLING YOUR INFLUENCES STOICISM TEACHES US TO BE SELECTIVE ABOUT THE IMPRESSIONS WE ALLOW INTO OUR MINDS

IN PRACTICAL TERMS THIS MIGHT MEAN LIMITING TIME SPENT ON SOCIAL MEDIA OR CHOOSING NOT TO ENGAGE IN NEGATIVE CONVERSATIONS INSTEAD FILL YOUR ENVIRONMENT WITH POSITIVITY AND INSPIRATION SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE WHO UPLIFT YOU AND SHARE YOUR VALUES AND CONSUME CONTENT THAT ENRICHES YOUR SOUL AND SHARPENS YOUR MIND AS WE WRAP UP TODAY'S JOURNEY INTO THE HEART OF STOIC WISDOM REMEMBER THE ONLY APPROVAL YOU EVER NEED IS YOUR OWN THANK YOU FOR BEING A PART OF STOIC JOURNAL AND JOINING THIS COMMUNITY OF SEEKERS AND THINKERS IF YOU'RE EAGER TO DIVE DEEPER CHECK OUT ONE OF THE

SUGGESTED VIDEOS ON YOUR SCREEN TO CONTINUE YOUR PATH TO SELF MASTERY UNTIL NEXT TIME KEEP LIVING TRUE TO YOUR VALUES AND THANK YOU FOR WALKING THIS PATH WITH US