10 Stoic Quotes That Will Help You Conquer Your Toughest Days

It was a random night in 2023, and I was searching for a YouTube video

to watch while I fell asleep.

The YouTube algorithm decided to recommend a video

that would forever change my life,

and it was about the Philosophy of Stoicism.

Stoicism is the best philosophy to adopt as a way of living,

especially in our time when people are reactive

and emotional maturity is dying.

I was one of the most reactive people before learning about Stoicism,

but now I am a lot calmer, grateful, peaceful, and emotionally resilient.

However, I see a lot of false dogma online about Stoicism,

where people believe that being Stoic

means completely abandoning one’s emotions and feelings.

To be stoic means to accept your emotions

and never let them influence you.

That’s strength and emotional maturity because a person

who can control their emotions is very powerful.

I collected these Stoic quotes to help you in that quest

and become a more stoic person.

Seneca

“He who suffers before it is necessary, suffers more than is necessary.” — SENECA

This is a friendly reminder from Seneca:

do not waste your time worrying about the future you are unsure of.

I see this happening a lot with overthinkers (I am)

who are detached from reality.

I can create a whole scenario for the future

that usually doesn’t happen at all.

I finally decided to just be present

and let whatever is going to happen, happen.

“Expectations are the greatest impediment to living. In anticipation of tomorrow, we lose today.” — SENECA

I know this is easier said than done because our brains are wired

to expect and act on it,

but you can rewire them to live in the present.

That’s the secret to a peaceful life.

We live in the eternal now;

the past and present are only concepts in the mind.

Marcus Aurelius

“Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself.” — MARCUS AURELIUS

From my own understanding,

Marcus promotes compassion for others

while setting a high standard for oneself.

Always strive to maintain a high standard for yourself in terms

of your accomplishments and actions.

Acting with justice and virtue while being compassionate

toward those who underperform.

Epictetus

“Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.” — EPICTETUS

It is only in harsh situations that the mask falls down

and you get to see people for who they are.

I once heard someone say,

You don’t know the true character of a person until you go through a difficult time together,

and people’s behaviors made more sense to me.

“You become what you give your attention to. If you don’t choose what you expose yourself to, someone else will.” — EPICTETUS

Our thoughts create our reality.

Two people who live in the same environment can have different perspectives

due to their differing thoughts and beliefs.

I once decided to focus my thoughts on a specific goal for seven days;

I changed my habits, meditated on certain thoughts only,

and altered my environment.

In just seven days,

I managed to achieve what I failed to do in the last 3 months.

That’s the power of focus.

“You cannot hope to make progress in areas where you have taken no action.” — EPICTETUS

Actions over words and prophecies every day,

that’s the key to improvement.

If you want to do something, don’t talk about it; just do it.

“Another person cannot hurt you without your cooperation; you are hurt the moment you believe yourself to be.” — EPICTETUS

This quote helped me stop taking people’s words personally.

If a stranger came and told me, ‘You are stupid, Lucky,’

but I know I am not, I will never be offended by what he/she said.

The day you learn to never take

what people say personally is the day you achieve peace of mind.

“Freedom is not achieved by satisfying desire, but by eliminating it.” — EPICTETUS

You will never completely satisfy yourself;

there is always more to gain, eat, and see.

The key to a peaceful life is eliminating these desires

that control your actions and thoughts.

Other authors

“There is only one way to avoid criticism: Do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.” — ELBERT HUBBARD

You will be criticised in everything you do.

No matter how good you are,

there will always be someone who doesn’t like you.

Accept that people will criticize you and do what you want to do regardless.

It is pointless to change yourself just to avoid criticism.

I always stick to my morals

and do what I want regardless of people’s opinions.

“He who dares to shed the weight of expectation shall find himself soaring above the shackles of mediocrity.” — UNKNOWN

Expectations weigh you down because you are the reason

for your heartbreak.

People are not obligated to act the way you want them to act.

So accept people and situations as they are.

“I am not what happened to me; I am what I choose to become.” — CARL JUNG

Your attitude in life can make you either a victim

or a hero with an incredible story to tell.

No matter how bad your past was, you have the power to choose

and become who you want to be.

Your past is your past; it doesn’t define who you are.

Final thought

Stoicism has helped me in many areas of my life.

I always have new projects to start and adventures to embark on,

but they don’t always go as planned.

Stoicism taught me to never let one mistake or problem affect my vibe

and to accept the world as it is.

I used to suppress my emotions in the past, which was good for a while,

but I wasn’t at peace with myself at all.

I can now manage my emotions

and prevent them from disrupting my plans.

I have become more peaceful, confident,

and calmer since I started practicing Stoicism.

Feel free to share with us your story of practicing Stoicism

and tell us a quote that resonates with you deeply.

Also, read: 33 Deep Quotes That Will Open Your Mind to New Possibilities