Summary

The author describes their journey to adopting Stoicism amidst the war in Ukraine, emphasizing the fragility of life and the importance of living meaningfully.

Abstract

In the midst of war, with Russian bombings and a nuclear power plant fight in Ukraine, the author reflects on the profound impact these events have had on their perspective. Despite the horrors, including witnessing death and destruction, the author finds peace through Stoicism. They express a lack of hatred or regret, a deepened understanding of life's fragility, and a commitment to making the most of their time. The teachings of Marcus Aurelius resonate with the author, who advocates for doing one's best and accepting what cannot be controlled. The author, now considering themselves a high-level Stoic, encourages readers to support Ukraine through donations and follows on Medium.

Opinions

The author does not harbor hatred or regret, despite the war's atrocities.
They value the philosophy of Stoicism as a means to maintain control over their life during chaotic times.
The author believes in the importance of action, encouraging donations to support Ukraine.
They share a personal transformation, suggesting that the war has elevated their Stoic practice to an advanced level.
The author emphasizes the shared humanity of all individuals affected by the conflict, regardless of their role in it.
They advocate for living without wasting time, emphasizing the preciousness of life in the face of its fragility.

How I Became Level 80 Stoic

If these are the last hours of our lives, let’s spend them in peace

I said these words sitting in the shelter with my family.

Russians are bombing my home Ukrainian town.

There is a fight at the Nuclear Power Plant nearby.

The world is hanging by a thread.

The situation is pretty similar to the final scene of “Don’t look up”.

5 minutes ago, we were running to the shelter.

There were corpses on the streets. Dead bodies of people that probably were alive today in the morning…

Did this image change my attitude to the world and life?

Hell, yeah!

War is a life-changing experience…

But not in the way someone may suppose:

I don’t hate the world for the hell I’m living in right now
I don’t regret any decisions I made (I decided to stay in Ukraine)
I don’t want to waste a second of the rest of my life

This is where stoicism came to my life.

Life is fragile

People are mortal. This thing shocked me the most.

I knew it previously. I’ve suffered losses previously. Now I feel it.

The scale was different…

Now hundreds of people are dying every day. So close to me that I can’t ignore it anymore.

Some of them are dying for freedom. Some of them are dying invading another country for no reason. Death doesn’t care.

But all of them were people. All of them had dreams, desires, families. They all were someone’s sons and daughters.

And now they are all gone…

The reality shows in its brutal honesty how fragile human life is.

How to live in this world?

Do what you must, come what may. Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius is one of the biggest persons in stoicism. And the above phrase is one of his best quotes.

This is the only way I can survive here. This is the only style of mindset that allows me to keep control of my life.

I can do what I can do. I do my best but sometimes it isn’t enough. Still, I try and do what I have to do.

The following isn’t my concern if I did everything I could.

Right now, stoicism and the above idea are the only things that keep the image of my world in one piece.

This war made me an 80-level stoic.

And I don’t recommend it to anyone…

All earned money from Medium I redirect to the charity foundation.

If you can donate even a few $ to support Ukrain — please do it. You can save lives and stop the slaughter that happens here. Every $ matters!

P.S. If you liked this thing, follow me and leave feedback. Good luck!

You can support me directly with your Medium subscription. It helps a lot!