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Welcome back to Dying Every Day. This is Day 135.

Most people build happiness like a house on sand—on approval, outcomes, comfort, and conditions. It looks solid when the weather is calm. But when circumstances change—as they always do—the foundation gives way.

Seneca insists the mistake is not bad luck, but bad architecture. “You ask me what is the foundation of a happy life?” he writes. And his answer is not comfort, success, or favorable fortune. It is internal: “a soul that is strong, upright, under control.”

Not a life without trouble—but a soul that can meet trouble without being diminished by it.

Happiness, in this Stoic sense, isn't a mood you just fall into when things go well. It's a foundation—a way of constructing a life that doesn't fall apart when circumstances change.

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Welcome back to Dying Every Day. This is Day 134.

We've all been there, someone interrupts you mid-sentence. The moment is small, almost forgettable—yet something tightens inside. A warmth in the chest. A quiet bracing in the jaw. The urge to correct, to defend, to be seen as right.

It all happens before a single clear thought forms. And already, a choice is waiting to be made.

This is the moment Seneca is speaking about. Anger enters the body before it reaches the mind. The breath shortens. The muscles tense up. A story starts to form rapidly: “They disrespected me. This is unfair. I must respond.” Before we fully realize it, the moment feels charged with necessity. Action feels urgent. Silence feels like surrender.

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In this episode of Dying Every Day, I’m joined by my good friend Brandon Tumblin (The Strong Stoic Newsletter) for a casual chat on the fundamentals of Stoicism. We explore practical ways to apply Stoic philosophy in daily life and reflect on life's greater purpose and the Stoic commitment to building a just society.

Key Takeaways

• Virtue is the only true good
• The dichotomy of control
• Building a just society
• Practical tools for life’s challenges

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In this episode of Dying Every Day, we explore the ancient wisdom behind money, prosperity, and the search for a good life. Drawing on Seneca’s teaching that 'the proper limit to a person’s wealth is first having what is essential, and second, having what is enough,' we examine why chasing more never brings contentment—and why living according to nature frees us from endless craving.

With insights from Boethius, who reminds us that fortune’s gifts are always temporary, this meditation invites you to rethink your relationship with money, success, and security. Rather than fearing its loss or worshiping its presence, the Stoics show us how to hold prosperity lightly, use it wisely, and root our peace in the one form of wealth no one can steal: our character, our choices, and our inner clarity.

If you’re looking for a deeper, saner way to think about money and happiness—this meditation is for you.

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In this episode of Dying Every Day, we explore the Stoic idea that virtue is a skill—something practiced, not merely understood. Drawing especially on the teachings of Musonius Rufus, the “Roman Socrates,” we look at why the Stoics believed that philosophy must be lived like an athlete trains: through repetition, effort, and real-world tests.

With insights from Aristotle, Epictetus, and William James, this meditation shows how character is shaped not by what we admire or read, but by the choices we make every day—especially when they are difficult. You’ll learn why theory without practice does nothing to change us, and how small, daily actions form the habits that define who we become.

If you want to train your character, not just think about it—this is your guide.

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In this meditation, we explore Seneca’s powerful teaching on emotional freedom and the art of holding your self-worth within—not in the shifting opinions of others. Seneca writes: “The wise man is invulnerable to insult… He stands above both the applause and the condemnation of the crowd, for he has placed his esteem within his own soul, where honor is incorruptible and peace undisturbed.”

Most of us rise and fall with praise and criticism. A compliment lifts us, an insult wounds us, and other people’s opinions quietly dictate our mood. Seneca offers a different path—one rooted in inner stability, clarity, and self-governance. Drawing on a well-known Buddhist teaching about refusing an insult as one would an unwanted gift, and insights from modern psychology on developing an internal source of self-worth, this meditation explores how to become less reactive and more grounded in one's own principles.

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In this meditation, we explore one of Seneca’s most profound teachings on wealth, desire, and freedom:

Seneca reminds us that poverty is not measured by what we lack, but by what we crave. True wealth, he says, is found not in accumulation, but in sufficiency — in the quiet realization that we already have what is needed to live well.

Drawing on both Stoic and Epicurean wisdom, this reflection explores how simplicity leads to serenity, and how reducing our desires brings more peace than satisfying them ever could. As Epicurus wrote, “If you wish to make someone rich, do not add to his money, but subtract from his desires.”

Expect to learn:

• How to distinguish nature’s needs from opinion’s endless wants
• Why craving more leads to dependence, not freedom
• How ancient philosophy offers a timeless cure for modern restlessness
• Practical ways to practice the art of enough in everyday life

The Stoics and Epicureans both understood this truth: wealth is not the possession of many things, but the mastery of desire. When we stop measuring life by what’s missing, we discover that the cup is already full.

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Dying Every Day (Stoicism in a Year) is a podcast by the Perennial Leader Project (and Perennial Meditations newsletter). Each episode turns a selected passage from Stoic philosophy into a guided meditation designed to help you (and me) contemplate what it means to live a ‘good’ life.

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Dying Every Day (Stoicism in a Year) is a podcast by the Perennial Leader Project (and Perennial Meditations newsletter). Each episode turns a selected passage from Stoic philosophy into a guided meditation designed to help you (and me) contemplate what it means to live a ‘good’ life.

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Dying Every Day (Stoicism in a Year) is a podcast by the Perennial Leader Project (and Perennial Meditations newsletter). Each episode turns a selected passage from Stoic philosophy into a guided meditation designed to help you (and me) contemplate what it means to live a ‘good’ life.

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