How to Find Your True Self | Defeating the Thief of Joy, Day 41 of Stoic School with William Mulligan

Click here to check out HUEL: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://my.huel.com/mulliganbros⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠#ad

In today's episode, William delves into the deceptive world of social media and its impact on our happiness and self-worth. He begins by emphasizing that those seemingly perfect lives we see online are often just well-marketed facades, not reflections of true contentment or success. Understanding that these images are curated to present an idealized version of reality can help us focus on our own character and find the life we truly want to live.

William shares a personal story about a friend who lost his joy by trying to emulate the glamorous lives he saw on social media. This comparison led him to feel empty and disconnected from his true self. By deleting social media and stopping the comparison, his friend eventually rediscovered his passion and zest for life. The episode highlights how our obsession with online personas can undermine our real-life happiness, pushing us to strive for an unattainable image rather than focusing on our own authentic lives.

Drawing on Stoic principles, William reminds us that comparison is the thief of joy. Instead of measuring ourselves against others, we should concentrate on our own character and virtues. By understanding what we can control—our actions, reactions, and mindset—we can cultivate true happiness and inner peace. He advocates for reducing social media consumption or using it more mindfully, focusing on its educational and communicative benefits rather than letting it dictate our self-worth.