What is Stoicism?

If your coffee’s gone stone-cold, your inbox is positively overflowing, and the world feels a lot like a rollercoaster ride – you might be ready for Stoicism.

This ancient philosophy has helped guide emperors, writers, soldiers, and thinkers for well over two thousand years and counting. Yet, it isn’t about sitting cross-legged on a mountain or pretending feelings don’t exist. Stoicism is a practical philosophy for modern resilience – a way to keep calm and carry on while everything else feels like it’s falling apart.

At The Ancient Advisor, we like to think of it as ancient wisdom, beautifully designed for modern life.

The beginnings of Stoicism

Stoicism was created around 300 BC in Athens by Zeno of Citium, who taught beneath the Stoa Poikile – the “Painted Porch.” From there came a simple but powerful idea:

We can’t always control what happens to us – but we can always control how we respond.

A clever observation, right? That single idea would go on to help shape the lives of great ancient thinkers, including Epictetus (50-135 AD), Seneca (4 BC-65 AD), and Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD), whose words still echo across centuries.

And while their world was filled with swords and scrolls, ours is filled with emails and deadlines. The wisdom still fits perfectly.

The Stoic mindset

The Stoics believed that peace and happiness come from learning to master our own reactions; not from chasing external items like wealth, fame, or approval (safe to say that they wouldn't have been big fans of social media), but from strengthening our inner world. 

In other words: 

“Circumstances don't make the man. They only reveal him to himself.” – Epictetus

Every time you walk past a Stoic quote on your wall, it’s a gentle reminder: breathe, refocus, act with virtue.

The heart of Stoicism

At the heart of Stoicism lies the “Dichotomy of Control.” There are two kinds of things: those we can control, and those we can’t.

We can’t control the traffic, the weather, or other people’s opinions. What we can control, however, is our thoughts, actions, and attitudes. Well, we can train ourselves to, anyway. This is relatively simple but life-changing when practiced daily.

The four Stoic virtues

Stoicism isn’t just about staying calm; it’s about living well. The Stoics taught four guiding virtues:

• Wisdom – which is seeing clearly and choosing rightly.
• Courage – always doing what’s right, even when it’s hard.
• Temperance – practicing balance and self-control.
• Justice – acting fairly and honourably toward others.

Hang these four words on your wall (or better yet, pick up an inspirational Stoic print from The Ancient Advisor) and you’ll have a daily compass for living with purpose.

Why Stoicism still matters today

In a world full of noise, stress, and endless scrolling, Stoicism is trending again. It’s a mindset made for modern times, teaching us to slow down, think deeply, and stay grounded.

“We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” – Seneca

When you feel anxious about the future, Stoicism whispers: “Come back to the present.” When you’re angry, it reminds you: “You’re in control of your reaction.” And when things fall apart, it teaches you: “You still have the power to act with courage.”

But Stoicism isn’t about being emotionless. There’s a myth that Stoics are stone-faced and unfeeling – but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Stoicism is about feeling deeply, but responding wisely.

It’s not about denying emotions, but about mastering them so they don’t master you. That’s what makes Stoicism so powerful – it’s a philosophy that works in the real world.

And that’s why Stoic quotes and artwork resonate so deeply. They aren’t just decoration – they’re daily reminders to think better, live calmer, and act wiser.

How to practice Stoicism

So, how can you start practicing Stoicism?

• Begin your day by reminding yourself what’s in your control.
• Reflect every evening: Did I act with wisdom, courage, temperance, and justice today? Hopefully, you'll say "yes", "yes", "yes", and "yes", but it's okay if you don't.
• When you catch yourself reacting, pause, take a deep breath, and choose your best response.

A small shift in perspective can change everything.

If you want a little extra inspiration, explore our Words of Wisdom and full catalog of inspirational Stoicism posters. Remember, these timeless designs aren’t just designed to look nice – they’re practical bite-sized pieces of philosophy that you can hang on your wall and use to help guide your life.

Because Stoicism isn’t just an ancient idea. It’s a daily practice – a way to bring calm, clarity, and courage to your every day. 

So, next time your life feels a bit chaotic, remember that you don’t need to control the storm, only your ship.