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Stoic Morning Practice: Let Go of What You Can’t Control · The Stoic Handbook with Jon Brooks

• 0:00
  SPEAKER_00: Find a quiet, comfortable position.
• 0:03
  SPEAKER_00: You could be seated or lying down, whatever helps you feel alert but at ease.
• 0:12
  SPEAKER_00: Let your eyes close or soften your gaze downward.
• 0:21
  SPEAKER_00: Take a slow breath in through your nose and release it through your mouth with a gentle sigh.
• 0:29
  SPEAKER_00: Let that exhale carry away any residue from sleep.
• 0:33
  SPEAKER_00: Again breathe in and let go.
• 0:42
  SPEAKER_00: One more time in and out.
• 0:54
  SPEAKER_00: This morning we're going to do something the ancient Stoics practiced over two thousand years ago, something that can change the texture of your entire day.
• 1:04
  SPEAKER_00: We are going to sort through what actually deserves your energy and what doesn't.
• 1:12
  SPEAKER_00: The philosopher Epictus taught a simple but profound truth.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: Some things are within our control and some things are not.
• 1:20
  SPEAKER_00: And most of our stress, most of our anxiety comes from confusing those two things.
• 1:29
  SPEAKER_00: We worry about what others think of us.
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: We replay conversations we can't change.
• 1:35
  SPEAKER_00: We try to control outcomes that just aren't up to us.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: But right now, in this moment, you can set that down.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: Bring to mind something you've been worried about lately.
• 1:51
  SPEAKER_00: Don't go searching for your biggest fear.
• 1:54
  SPEAKER_00: Just let whatever's been circling your thoughts come forward naturally.
• 2:04
  SPEAKER_00: Notice how this feels in your body.
• 2:12
  SPEAKER_00: Perhaps a tightness in your chest or a clenching in your jaw.
• 2:22
  SPEAKER_00: Now let's look at this worry through a stoic lens.
• 2:26
  SPEAKER_00: Ask yourself gently, what part of this situation is within my control?
• 2:40
  SPEAKER_00: Remember, you cannot control what others decide.
• 2:44
  SPEAKER_00: You cannot control the past, you cannot control the economy or the weather or whether someone likes you.
• 2:50
  SPEAKER_00: But you can control your response and your effort, your attitude, your integrity, your choices in this moment.
• 3:09
  SPEAKER_00: Take a breath and mentally place everything outside your control into an open hand.
• 3:18
  SPEAKER_00: Hold it there for a moment.
• 3:25
  SPEAKER_00: These concerns about outcomes, about what others might think or do.
• 3:30
  SPEAKER_00: And now let that hand open.
• 3:33
  SPEAKER_00: Let those things fall away, not because they don't matter, but because holding them so tightly only exhausts you.
• 3:56
  SPEAKER_00: See yourself encountering the challenges that might arise, difficult conversations and unexpected changes or moments of uncertainty.
• 4:06
  SPEAKER_00: And in each scene, watch yourself respond with calm, not because you're suppressing anything, but because you know the difference between what's yours to carry and what isn't.
• 4:27
  SPEAKER_00: See yourself focused on your effort and your choices and your presence.
• 4:39
  SPEAKER_00: When something outside your control happens, like traffic, delays, someone else's mood, watch yourself take a breath and return to what you can do.
• 4:49
  SPEAKER_00: This is your anger for the day.
• 5:04
  SPEAKER_00: Today, when you feel anxiety rising, when you notice yourself trying to control what you cannot, you'll pause, you'll ask, is this up to me?
• 5:14
  SPEAKER_00: If it isn't, you'll let go.
• 5:17
  SPEAKER_00: If it is, you'll act with care and attention.
• 5:20
  SPEAKER_00: That's the practice.
• 5:22
  SPEAKER_00: It's simple, but it's not easy.
• 5:24
  SPEAKER_00: And every time you return to it, you get a little stronger.
• 5:28
  SPEAKER_00: Take one more deep breath.
• 5:35
  SPEAKER_00: Feel your body here, present, grounded.
• 5:38
  SPEAKER_00: When you're ready, begin to wiggle your fingers and toes.
• 5:44
  SPEAKER_00: Slowly open your eyes.
• 5:49
  SPEAKER_00: You're prepared for this day.
• 5:52
  SPEAKER_00: Not because you know what will happen, but because you know who you are and where to place your attention.
• 6:00
  SPEAKER_00: Go well.