By Paul Wilson “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character give him power.” That saying has long been attributed to Abraham Lincoln, though there is no written record of him having said it. Whether its attribution is correct or not, the statement provides a perfect measure with which to assess Lincoln’s own complex character. For four years he occupied an office that conferred great power upon him - President of the United Sates - and he did so during the most tumultuous period in America’s history: the Civil War. Great statesmen and women never really ..read more

  Are you looking for a straightforward path to developing a Stoic mindset? Try out these 5 steps from Stoicare champion Tim Patterson! Tim offers three versions below: 5 Steps to Living a Good Life (for adults) 5 Steps to Rocking Your Life (for young adults and teens) 5 Steps to Supercharge Your Kid Life (for kids 12 and under) 5 Steps to Living a Good Life (for Adults)   Compiled from Stoic principles by Tim Patterson I will live in the present moment. The past has gone, and I bear responsibility for my previous actions and those in the future. I will acknowledge the good I have ..read more

Wherever you fly, you'll be best of the best. Wherever you go, you will top all the rest. Except when you don't. Because, sometimes, you won't. I'm sorry to say so but, sadly, it's true that Bang-ups and Hang-ups can happen to you. You can get all hung up in a prickle-ly perch. And your gang will fly on. You'll be left in a Lurch. From Oh, The Places You'll Go!, by Dr. Seuss I have never really been a Dr. Seuss fan. As a child I hated his weird illustrations, and as an adult I couldn't care less about the Grinch or the Cat in the Hat or Seuss's iconic status as beloved children's author. I've ..read more

By Vanessa Morgenstern Have you ever wanted to share your own Stoic-inspired wisdom and uplift the people around you, but have not been successful due to misunderstandings that surround Stoicism? Don't worry, whether you're talking to a friend in need, a group of people in general or simply expressing your own insights gained from practicing Stoic philosophy, this article was written for you. This post will break down trepidation created from misconceptions of Stoicism, offer a plan of action for a delicate approach, and provide 6 subtle ways you can share ancient wisdom without saying the “S ..read more

By Michael Barr Michael Barr is Professor in Philosophy as a Way of Life at Newcastle University in the UK though his background is highly eclectic. Trained in politics, theology, and philosophy, he has he taught ESL in China, Egypt and the US and has published on the sociology of health and illness, Chinese politics, environmental politics, bioethics, biosecurity, and pedagogical methods. Stoic care is largely defined by two intertwined themes: rationality and sociability. We care for ourselves as rational beings and in the process we exercise our understanding of the virtues. But of course ..read more

How volunteering changed my life and what I've learned along the way... Welcome to the Stoics + Care blog! We're so happy you're joining us to learn how Stoicism and caretaking complement each other. In our first blog post, we hear from Stoicare co-founder Eve Riches on her personal journey to community caretaking. Below you'll learn some of the amazing community-based projects Eve has worked on how to make and stick to a 'volunteer budget' to prevent burnout the theory behind Stoicism and care how to select the best type of volunteering for you and how to get started volunteering--even in y ..read more

By Cal Heath We are delighted to share these wise thoughts from contributor Cal Heath, a writer, practicing Stoic, and mother of two. As a member of Stoic Parents and other Stoic groups on social media, I sometimes see the question posed, ‘At which age should I introduce my children to Stoicism? How can I teach them? What should I teach them?’ For me, this dilemma has been particularly poignant. I came to the field of parenting, as my husband and I fondly refer to it, as a ‘mature’ mum; the British term for us over-40s, not mine! My own mum passed on soon after my second child was born, and l ..read more

This month we had the pleasure of hearing from Kathryn Bucher, a nursing professor and board member of The College of Stoic Philosophers. Kathryn shares her experiences with nursing, Stoicism, and her new course, The Stoic Nurse: Philosophy at the Bedside. Many years ago, as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Honduras, I taught nursing school to young people with an 8th-grade education. They were expected to be the backbone of health care in this impoverished country, and as such, they needed to know everything from delivering babies to tuberculosis prevention. But what these young nurses taught me ..read more

Constructing an Inner Citadel by Paul Wilson ‘Permacrisis’ has been declared word of the year by the Collins English Dictionary. The term is intended to describe a prolonged period of instability and insecurity. As we slowly recover from a pandemic, contend with a global cost-of-living crisis, and worry about the escalation of a European war, it is hard to dispute the relevance of the word. Permacrisis has become our new normal. A dystopian state we all inhabit. The successive impacts of a permacrisis can take a toll upon our health and wellbeing. Adverse experiences tend to have adverse cons ..read more

The Telos of Stoicism By Paul Wilson Stoic philosophy is much concerned with darkness and how to alleviate it. Modern proponents of Stoicism may assert its power as a form of self-improvement, or emphasise its zestful properties - both perfectly legitimate points of view - but that is to overlook the very quality that distinguishes Stoicism from modern schools of thought in the field of human wellbeing: it is not afraid of the dark. In fact, it seeks out darkness and does battle with it--by offering illumination in the face of loss, uncertainty and impermanence. Premeditatio malorum - the pre ..read more