The Practical Stoic

ABOUT OUR GUEST Kayla Trautwein is a coach and author that specializes in helping high-achievers transform their mindsets to be positive, be more successful at their goals, and most importantly, create the happiness they deserve.  For most of her life, Kayla experienced debilitating anxiety, sadness, uncontrollable negative thoughts, anger, pessimism, and hopelessness. Over the course of 6-years, through practicing Stoic philosophy and developing methods to change her thoughts and feelings, she transformed herself completely. Today, Kayla lives in a near-constant state of inner peace, happiness, optimism, freedom from negativity, and quietness of mind. Drawing from her experience, she created an 8-week program, The 8 Universal Laws of Peace and Happiness, and has helped others experience similar transformations. KAYLA'S LINKS WEBSITE: http://kaylatrautwein.com/ 8 WEEK PROGRAM: https://kayla-trautwein.teachable.com/p/the-8-universal-laws-of-peace-and-happiness BUY KAYLA'S BOOK: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0844QZVGM FACEBOOK: ​http://facebook.com/happilyeverwiser INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/kaylatrautwein LINKEDIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaylatrautwein/   SIMON J. E. DREW LINKS   Simon Drew Links Patreon: patreon.com/simonjedrew Coaching: simonjedrew.com/coaching/ Practical Stoic Mastermind: facebook.com/groups/practicalstoicmastermind Facebook: facebook.com/simonjedrew Instagram: instagram.com/simonjedrew LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/simonjedrew Website: simonjedrew.com ​ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

About John Sellars: John Sellars is a Lecturer in Philosophy at Royal Holloway, University of London. He’s the author of a number of books on Stoicism, including The Art of Living (2003), Stoicism (2006), and Lessons in Stoicism (2019). He is also one of the founding members of Modern Stoicism, the organization that runs Stoic Week and Stoicon.  WEBSITE: CLICK HERE TWITTER: CLICK HERE ----more---- Simon Drew Links Patreon: patreon.com/simonjedrew Coaching: simonjedrew.com/coaching/ Practical Stoic Mastermind: facebook.com/groups/practicalstoicmastermind Facebook: facebook.com/simonjedrew Instagram: instagram.com/simonjedrew LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/simonjedrew Website: simonjedrew.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ABOUT OUR GUEST Scott F. Aikin is an American philosopher and Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he also holds a joint appointment in Classics. He earned an M.A. in Philosophy from the University of Montana in 1999 and a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Vanderbilt University in 2006. His principal areas of research are epistemology, argumentation theory, ancient philosophy, and pragmatism. And on top of all this he's also the co-author of the book "Why We Argue (How We Should) - A Guide to Political Disagreement."  GUEST LINKS ACADEMIA: CLICK HERE UNIVERSITY: CLICK HERE  BUY SCOTT'S BOOK: CLICK HERE   Simon Drew Links Patreon: patreon.com/simonjedrew Coaching: simonjedrew.com/coaching/ Practical Stoic Mastermind: facebook.com/groups/practicalstoicmastermind Facebook: facebook.com/simonjedrew Instagram: instagram.com/simonjedrew LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/simonjedrew Website: simonjedrew.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ABOUT OUR GUEST: David Ropeik is retired Harvard Instructor, author, and consultant on the psychology of risk perception, risk communication, and risk management. He was the principal faculty member of the professional education course The Risk Communication Challenge at the Harvard School of Public Health. He is author of How Risky Is It, Really? Why Our Fears Don’t Always Match The Facts, and principal co-author of RISK!!! A practical guide for deciding what’s really safe and what’s really dangerous in the world around you. Prior to teaching at the Harvard School of Public Health, he was a television reporter in Boston, twice winning the DuPont Columbia Award, often referred to as the Pulitzer Prize of broadcast journalism. GUEST LINKS: WEBSITE: CLICK HERE TWITTER: CLICK HERE BUY HIS BOOK: CLICK HERE   Simon Drew Links Patreon: patreon.com/simonjedrew Coaching: simonjedrew.com/coaching/ Practical Stoic Mastermind: facebook.com/groups/practicalstoicmastermind Facebook: facebook.com/simonjedrew Instagram: instagram.com/simonjedrew LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/simonjedrew Website: simonjedrew.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ORIGINAL ARTICLE: https://www.simonjedrew.com/choosing-a-philosophical-life/ SIMON DREW LINKS PATREON: CLICK HERE COACHING: CLICK HERE WEBSITE: CLICK HERE YOUTUBE: CLICK HERE FACEBOOK: CLICK HERE INSTAGRAM: CLICK HERE LINKEDIN: CLICK HERE TWITTER: CLICK HERE REDDIT: CLICK HERE CHOOSING A PHILOSOPHICAL LIFE Lately I’ve been trying to carefully observe myself and the world around me. I’ve been trying to see things for what they are, and not just for what they appear to be. And I say that I’m “trying” because one conclusion that I keep coming to is that no matter how hard I try, I will always simply be me, as I am, viewing this incredibly complex world through a lens that is limited in scope to say the least. It’s as if there’s an extravagant party happening in the mansion, and I’m trying to see what’s happening inside by looking through a keyhole on the kitchen door. I know there’s plenty of grand and exciting things happening, but for now all I can do is trust that with enough time I’ll be able to put a few pieces together.  I tend to have quite an obsessive personality, and I have definitely jumped around a lot in my life. From a young age my parents could see that if I was going to try something then I really wanted to try it. If I was riding horses then I wanted to be the cowboy! If I was playing music then I wanted to be on the stage becoming the best entertainer I could be! When I went to church I wanted to look the part, and when I wasn’t going to church I wanted to have all of the perfectly good reasons why I wasn’t. I’d like to say that this kind of “all in or nothing” attitude came down to a desire to give 100% to everything I was doing, but honestly in hindsight I can say that I wasn’t trying to go all in on anything. Rather, I think I was trying to give the appearance that I knew what life was all about when in reality I had absolutely no idea, and in trying to appear to be something, I now see that I was simply hiding the fact that I knew nothing. To me, the appearance of having the answers was more important than actually having any answers, and so I jumped around from one thing to another, always tasting but never being nourished.  Have you ever noticed that we all seem to think we have the answers? You only have to look as far back as your last family gathering to see that we all have a pretty unhealthy relationship with the words “I don’t know.” Just look around the world and see the division that is created simply because we can’t admit that we don’t have all the answers. Left vs right, religious vs atheist, woman vs man, black vs white. Every belief structure is the one true way, every ideology is the winner, every experience is the truth. But how could that be? How is it that there are so many ways, so many winners and so many truths? Well if you’ll let me, I’d like to invite you to look through the same keyhole that I’m looking through so that you might see what I see. Get comfortable, turn on your imagination, and meditate on the ideas to follow. How do humans perceive time? Well, it seems clear that we have an extremely narrow vision of time. This narrow vision is probably shown most clearly in our tendency to think only within the confines of our own lifetimes. We’re driven by all kinds of biological and psychological phenomena that help us to survive day to day, we Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ABOUT OUR GUEST Harald Kavli, organizer of the Oslo Stoics, is currently translating Epictetus's discourses into modern Norwegian. This will be the first time this classic work of Stoic philosophy is translated into a Scandinavian language.   The Oslo Stoics: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1426454074046215/ Simon Drew Links Patreon: patreon.com/simonjedrew Coaching: simonjedrew.com/coaching/ Practical Stoic Mastermind: facebook.com/groups/practicalstoicmastermind Facebook: facebook.com/simonjedrew Instagram: instagram.com/simonjedrew LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/simonjedrew Website: simonjedrew.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ARTICLE LINK: CLICK HERE PATREON: CLICK HERE COACHING: CLICK HERE WEBSITE: CLICK HERE YOUTUBE: CLICK HERE FACEBOOK: CLICK HERE INSTAGRAM: CLICK HERE LINKEDIN: CLICK HERE TWITTER: CLICK HERE REDDIT: CLICK HERE SHOW SCRIPT:  It’s now clear that we’re living in uncertain and unprecedented times. With the coronavirus stretching it’s reach around the world it’s becoming clearer with every new headline that the world we live in is undergoing a shift that will shape generations to come.  The great Stoic philosopher Epictetus once remarked that “Circumstances don't make the man, they only reveal him to himself.” In this same way it would be correct to say that global challenge reveals humanity to itself. The kind of global unrest seen at this time is of the sort that breaks down paradigms and reveals to us what’s real and what’s fake, what matters and what doesn’t, what’s worth pursuing and what we can leave aside. We’re living in a time where millions of people will be out of work soon if they aren’t already, governments are debating spending trillions of dollars to keep the economies of the world flowing, and collectively we are being forced into a position where we all need to ask ourselves how we should act in this specific situation and also how we should act moving forward into the rest of this decade which, I assure you, will hold a great deal more challenges than what we’ve seen so far in just the first three months. Ultimately what we’re seeing now is a global shift in consciousness far greater than any of us have seen in our lifetimes, and I think that possibly the most important question to ask at the moment is this: what’s been missing, and therefore what must be rediscovered?  For those who are philosophically inclined, these questions aren’t simply stored away for that rainy day or for that global pandemic. Rather, these questions are a part of everyday life. In fact, the Stoic philosopher Seneca once suggested that the budding student of philosophy should do for his mind what the soldier does for his body in times of peace, and that is to rehearse the very horror he hopes to be prepared for, to learn what makes him healthy and what makes him ill, and to exercise those things within his control so that when tragedy strikes he can confidently say, “I knew”. See, the serious student of philosophy may not be surprised by times like these, but rather he might be glad to find that his training has paid off. And this isn’t to say that he wouldn’t experience hardship or difficulties. He may have his fair share of troubles to deal with, but what he wouldn’t say is that he didn’t know. This knowledge brings strength.  One particular exercise that the student of philosophy might engage in is that of experiencing the world from an outsider's perspective, so that instead of being a mere player in the game, or being played by the game (whichever side you take on the free will debate), he can stand back and watch the game from afar with the hope that he might come back having learned some of the rules, because Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Connell is a comedian who gets a twisted sense of satisfaction out of making boring topics funny. He’s gotten laughs explaining ancient Greek philosophy, current attitudes towards poverty and affluence, and futuristic cryptocurrency. Some career highlights include releasing ‘Stoic Comedy’ - a half hour stand up special about Stoic Philosophy on YouTube, currently at over 25,000 views, being selected to be a World Vision Australia - Arts Ambassador, writing the world’s first Bitcoin comedy routine that was featured in several documentaries, and performing at the now defunct Albion comedy club where he was so funny that he convinced his now wife, to go out with him. On top of this, Michael has also spoken at Stoicon and is now scheduled to speak again at Stoicon 2020 in Toronto.  YOUTUBE: CLICK HERE FACEBOOK: CLICK HERE INSTAGRAM: CLICK HERE WEBSITE: CLICK HERE   Simon Drew Links Patreon: patreon.com/simonjedrew Coaching: simonjedrew.com/coaching/ Practical Stoic Mastermind: facebook.com/groups/practicalstoicmastermind Facebook: facebook.com/simonjedrew Instagram: instagram.com/simonjedrew LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/simonjedrew Website: simonjedrew.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

ABOUT OUR GUEST Kevin Vost is the author of more than a dozen books with more in press, bringing his knowledge of classical Greco-Roman and medieval scholastic philosophy, modern cognitive psychology, and High Intensity Strength Training to bear on issues of Catholic catechetics, apologetics, saint’s biographies, spiritual growth, and physical fitness. He’s also written about the links between Stoicism and Christianity in his book, The Porch and the Cross.  Dr Vost holds a Doctor of Psychology in Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) degree from the Adler School of Professional Psychology in Chicago with internship and dissertation work at the SIU School of Medicine’s Alzheimer Center’s Memory and Aging Clinic. He has taught psychology and gerontology (the scientific study of old age) at Aquinas College, the University of Illinois, MacMurray College, and Lincoln Land Community College. Kevin has also served as a research review committee member for American Mensa, a society promoting the scientific study of human intelligence, and as an advisory board member for the International Association of Resistance Trainers, an organization that certifies personal fitness trainers. WEBSITE:​ www.drvost.com BOOKS: https://www.amazon.com/Kevin-Vost/e/B001JP19P0%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share Simon Drew Links Patreon: patreon.com/simonjedrew Coaching: simonjedrew.com/coaching/ Practical Stoic Mastermind: facebook.com/groups/practicalstoicmastermind Facebook: facebook.com/simonjedrew Instagram: instagram.com/simonjedrew LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/simonjedrew Website: simonjedrew.com   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gregory Lopez is the co-author of A Handbook for New Stoics, founder of the New York City Stoics, cofounder and board member of The Stoic Fellowship, is on the Modern Stoicism team, and co-facilitates Stoic Camp New York with Massimo Pigliucci. He is also lead editor for Examine.com and editor in chief of the Nutrition Examination Research Digest. In this episode we discuss a wide range of topics from Stoic logic to Epictetus' training method, and aligning with nature to the coronavirus outbreak.  NEW YORK CITY STOICS: New York City Stoics  BOOK: A Handbook for New Stoics THE STOIC FELLOWSHIP: The Stoic Fellowship MODERN STOICISM: Modern Stoicism NUTRITIONAL EXAMINATION RESEARCH DIGEST: Nutrition Examination Research Digest EXAMINE: Examine.com  Simon Drew Links Patreon: patreon.com/simonjedrew Coaching: simonjedrew.com/coaching/ Practical Stoic Mastermind: facebook.com/groups/practicalstoicmastermind Facebook: facebook.com/simonjedrew Instagram: instagram.com/simonjedrew LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/simonjedrew Website: simonjedrew.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices