Summary

The article discusses the philosophy of Stoicism and how it can help control thoughts and emotions.

Abstract

The article begins with a definition of Stoicism and how it teaches self-control and fortitude to overcome destructive emotions. The author shares their personal experience with Stoicism and how it has helped them become less emotional, monitor their desires, question everything, take things less personally, have low expectations of others, and embrace minimalism. The article then addresses a question from a reader about controlling thoughts and offers advice on how to respond to thoughts and emotions productively. The author suggests engaging in positive activities, listening to positive podcasts, surrounding oneself with positive people, and focusing on positive messages. The article concludes with a reminder that thoughts can be destructive if not managed properly and that Stoicism challenges its pupils to never let their thoughts control them.

Opinions

Stoicism is a philosophy that teaches self-control and fortitude to overcome destructive emotions.
Stoicism encourages questioning oneself, beliefs, thoughts, habits, knowledge, and way of life.
Stoicism is not mainstream and moves in the opposite direction of where society is headed.
The author has found Stoicism helpful in becoming less emotional, monitoring desires, questioning everything, taking things less personally, having low expectations of others, and embracing minimalism.
The author suggests that thoughts and emotions are fleeting and often have little value.
The author advises responding to thoughts and emotions productively by engaging in positive activities, listening to positive podcasts, surrounding oneself with positive people, and focusing on positive messages.
The author reminds readers that thoughts can be destructive if not managed properly and that Stoicism challenges its pupils to never let their thoughts control them.

Philosophy & Self-Improvement

How Do We Control Our Thoughts?

How Stoicism can help, and a question answered for a reader

At times, I receive questions and feedback from my readers. Some of the questions I respond to but write about further to share with a broader community. One of the questions I received was about controlling our thoughts. I felt it wraps perfectly into the idea of stoicism.

What is stoicism?

Definition of Stoicism: Stoicism teaches the development of self-control and fortitude as a means of overcoming destructive emotions; the philosophy holds that becoming a clear and unbiased thinker allows one to understand the universal reason (logos). — Wikipedia

I would add that Stoicism is questioning ourselves, our beliefs, thoughts, habits, knowledge, and our way of life. Stoicism is not mainstream; it is not consumed widely. Stoicism moves in the opposite direction of where society is headed.

“In your thoughts, don’t wander.” — Marcus Aurelius

How Stoicism Affected Me

Six things have dramatically changed for me since I have become a student of stoicism:

I’m less emotional; I’m driven less by my thoughts and emotions.
I monitor my desires and thoughts more effectively.
I continue to question everything.
I taker fewer things personally; it is more challenging to offend me.
My expectations of others are usually low.
I’m reminded to embrace minimalism continuously.

The Question I Received

“Hello, I read your content daily, and I’m highly impacted by it; I can relate with it a lot. Thanks for posting such great content.

I wanted to ask something, how do we control our thoughts? Sometimes our mind knows what is right for us, but the heart does not follow, creating a mess.”

My Response

First off, thank you so much, X, for reading my content.

I don’t know if we can “control” our thoughts, but we can discipline how we respond to our thoughts.

It’s salient to remember that thoughts and emotions are both fleeting; they come and go; they’re temporary, so they often have little value.

The only time thoughts and emotions become detrimental is when we allow ourselves to respond to them unproductively.

When you find yourself stuck in a negative thinking pattern, here are some ideas:

Engage in a positive activity
Listen to a positive podcast.
Surround yourself with positive people with positive attitudes.
Focus on intaking positive messages and reading positive messages.

After a while, you will find that your thoughts become more positive as well.

Our minds are like stomachs. Whatever we listen to, see, and surround ourselves with are all absorbed by the mind. Hence, be careful of everything you put yourself near.

I hope this helps!

Last Thoughts

Thoughts will run you ragged. Thoughts can take you out. Thoughts can place you off track. Negative thoughts, unmanaged or given too much focus, are destructive.

Once again, you cannot control your thoughts, but you can control how you respond to your thoughts. You can also displace negative thoughts with positive thoughts by monitoring what you listen to and monitoring your surroundings.

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.”

― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Stoicism challenges its pupils never to permit their thoughts to control them, but instead to challenge them, question them, replace them, and often ignore them.

Reads On Stoicism

— Destiny S. Harris