The Stoic Handbook with Jon Brooks

Send us a textRead the Stoic breakdown that accompanies this podcast here: https://www.stoichandbook.co/it-is-foolish-to-feel-pride-over-externals/🔥 🧰  Free SPQR Stoic Reset Kit — 5-min audio + 1-page protocol to stop anxiety spirals fast. → stoichandbook.co/toolkit

Send us a textThis is the audio version of a YouTube video you can watch here. Note: In this audio, I insert a clip of the great Jocko Willink (channel here), but because this was originally a video with a visual of Jocko including his social accounts, it seems like I didn't credit him in this audio. Someone raised this in a podcast review, and I want to make this clear. In this episode, I explore 11 quotes by Seneca all about fear and anxiety, then explain some ways we might apply these ideas to our own life. If you're reading this, I'd deeply appreciate a rating/review on Spotify and/or Apple Podcasts. 🤗 Thanks! 🔥 🧰  Free SPQR Stoic Reset Kit — 5-min audio + 1-page protocol to stop anxiety spirals fast. → stoichandbook.co/toolkit

Send us a textIn this Stoic Handbook episode, I answer a question by my fellow HighExistence teammate Mike Slavin, who asked me about ways I implement ancient Stoicism into my life. The question prompted me to discuss the best practices I've found for reading Stoic texts. 🔥 🧰  Free SPQR Stoic Reset Kit — 5-min audio + 1-page protocol to stop anxiety spirals fast. → stoichandbook.co/toolkit

Send us a textTo get access to my full conversations with great thinkers like Donald Robertson, you can subscribe to The HighExistence Podcast at: https://highexistence.com/podcast/In this episode, I share a clip with the great Stoic writer Donald Robertson that I conducted in a longer interview on The HighExistence Podcast. In this episode, Donald gives his account of Derren Brown's book Happy and shares his response to the questions... Is there a utility to anxiety? Were the Stoics too harsh on the emotion of anxiety?🔥 🧰  Free SPQR Stoic Reset Kit — 5-min audio + 1-page protocol to stop anxiety spirals fast. → stoichandbook.co/toolkit

Send us a textIn this contemplation, I guide you through a series of questions that has you examine your life and your decisions. Are you not living up to your potential? Are you wasting time? Are you procrastinating or making excuses? Even though this talk may be an uncomfortable listen... that's the point. It's designed as a "wake up" reflection to get you thinking and moving forward.  🔥 🧰  Free SPQR Stoic Reset Kit — 5-min audio + 1-page protocol to stop anxiety spirals fast. → stoichandbook.co/toolkit

Send us a textIn this Stoic training exercise, we take a look at some of the methods the ancient Stoics used to handle insults and verbal sleights. Then we immediately put them to use in an audio simulation training, where I insult you and you practice interpreting them with the right frames. At first, this process may seem a bit strange or uncomfortable, or humourous, but this is how we learn. We must practice using skills in low-stress situations if we ever hope to have them at our disposal in high-stress situations, i.e. when someone insults us in the world. 🔥 🧰  Free SPQR Stoic Reset Kit — 5-min audio + 1-page protocol to stop anxiety spirals fast. → stoichandbook.co/toolkit

Send us a textNote: This contains powerful imagery that some may find upsetting. If you are very sensitive to challenging imagery, do the other meditations before this one. This meditation uses the powerful Stoic technique of premeditation of adversity to make you contemplate just how "bad" your life could be. By practicing negative visualization, you will see with great clarity how wonderful your life currently is, and also rehearse handling hardship with equanimity and virtue. 🔥 🧰  Free SPQR Stoic Reset Kit — 5-min audio + 1-page protocol to stop anxiety spirals fast. → stoichandbook.co/toolkit

Send us a textThis meditation draws on Epictetus' advice for handling strong feelings of both aversion and desire. Is it wise to avoid things that are not within our control? And what is the balance when it comes to passionate desire? We reflect on these questions.Learn more about the concepts in this lesson here: https://www.stoichandbook.co/aversion-and-desire/🔥 🧰  Free SPQR Stoic Reset Kit — 5-min audio + 1-page protocol to stop anxiety spirals fast. → stoichandbook.co/toolkit

Send us a textIn this guided reflection, we look at the Stoic technique of "object deconstruction," which can help us to see our cravings and attachments in a more objective, rational way, and therefore reduce the delusory framing we put around them. This guided lesson is based on Chapter 3 of the Enchiridion, in which Epictetus states: "In the case of particular things that delight you, or benefit you, or to which you have grown attached, remind yourself of what they are. Start with things of little value. If it is china you like, for instance, say, ‘I am fond of a piece of china.’ When it breaks, then you won’t be as disconcerted."By practicing "object deconstruction" regularly, you will learn the skill of not getting wrapped up with the stories you tell yourself about your attachments, which can include relationships, pleasures, possessions, and habits.  You can read my extended version of the chapter here: https://www.stoichandbook.co/attachment-to-possessions/🔥 🧰  Free SPQR Stoic Reset Kit — 5-min audio + 1-page protocol to stop anxiety spirals fast. → stoichandbook.co/toolkit

Send us a textSeneca’s death is legendary because of the way he exhibited his Stoic values right until the end. Premeditation of adversity is one of the great Stoic techniques in which you mentally fortify yourself against future misfortunes. Arguably the most powerful variation of this is the contemplation of one’s death. In this guided visualization, I put you in the body of Seneca on his last day so you can experience a simulation of what he experienced. As you go through this difficult process, pay attention to your emotions and try as best as you can to mimic the thoughts and feelings of this great Stoic. Find a quiet place and set aside 15 minutes to give this exercise a go. You will find that your levels of anxiety go down by psychologically exposing yourself to stressors and practicing acceptance of them. 🔥 🧰  Free SPQR Stoic Reset Kit — 5-min audio + 1-page protocol to stop anxiety spirals fast. → stoichandbook.co/toolkit