The Stoic framework for stress management is simple and effective.

Stoicism originated in ancient Greece around the 3rd century BCE, founded by Zeno of Citium. One of its central tenets is to observe the Dichotomy of Control and Acceptance, that each person should focus on what is within control (one’s own actions and thoughts), while accepting what is beyond control (most external events, especially the actions and thoughts of others). To be Stoic is to cultivate inner peace through proper management of thoughts, emotions, and reactions. Roman slave turned Stoic philosopher Epictetus wrote, “make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens. Some things are up to us and some things are not up to us. Our opinions are up to us, and our impulses, desires, aversions—in short, whatever is our own doing. Our bodies are not up to us, nor are our possessions, our reputations, or our public offices, or, that is, whatever is not our own doing.” This is a precursor to the modern Serenity prayer, to “accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”

The OmniStoic takes this ancient philosophy one step further, into a world of concepts and practices that only deepen and refine this acceptance, courage, and wisdom. For instance, Taoist texts discuss wu wei. More to come!