As we live our lives we should be able to go through daily without worrying what others think about us. Why is this important? Because it means we do not need to prove anything to others or be someone we are not.

We need to look at our principles as something that has been given to us as a gift. Your purpose and values are priceless because they guide your actions thoughts and behaviors.

However it is important to be vigilant in maintaining these qualities.  Your thoughts actions and beliefs shape your progress. You need to do what is right to be someone of integrity and moral character.

Remember that this is what is within our own power. You must look at the process of living your life based on what is within your principles. This is true of anything in life including relationships, career and lifestyle.

Enchiridion 49 seems to get into the idea of understanding knowledge. But there is also the aspect of taking action through that knowledge. There is a difference between reading and using what you read.

Some things may be hard to understand including Stoic philosophy. It is necessary to get information from the right sources. With philosophy it may man the right school of philosophy that resonates and exploring the teachings of that school.

The application of knowledge can bring change. Look at Stoic philosophy. Stoicism is about learning but mostly applying it to life. If you are not applying it you are just reading philosophy for the sake of reading.

Part of the chapter states “ And when I find the interpreter, what remains is to make use of what has been transmitted. This alone is the thing to be proud of.”

Many people are interested in Stoic philosophy to improve themselves and their lives. But what if they struggle to implement the teachings in life? It may be some mental block that is causing this where they do not want to change. You can read all the Stoic works you want but not putting them into practice defeats the purpose.

People make progress when they are serious about philosophy. Some people who do not make progress are affected by externals. To them things like money and reputation are important. You must look within ti make improvement.

We can make choices in life. However some people blame and find fault when things do not seem to go their way in life. With Stoic philosophy it is possible to avoid this by understanding what is in your control.

You must prove things to yourself. When we feel like we are stuck it is most likely caused by external matters. An individual facing problems in life and trying to work on them should not waver or lose focus when making progress. This can result in matters like bad habits.

When one questions their progress fall back on understanding what is within your control. Acceptance in life is the foundation for growth. The biggest obstacle to progress is ourselves. It lies within us to make the choice of what direction we want to take.

Enchiridion 47 takes the approach to how society and other people affect us. We must avoid being vain or showing off.

Doing so may cause an individual to waver in the practice of Stoicism. We are making progress to gain tranquility in our lives. If you are making efforts and progress and improving yourself it is not necessary to tell other people. It is like going to the gym to show off rather than focusing on better health.

There are temptations that can block the individual to living the Stoic lifestyle. People may show off and brag about their lifestyle choices but this does not bring happiness. What other people think is not important.

A cause of this may be seeking external validation. This means a person gains a sense of self-pride when others approve of their behavior, work, thoughts, etc. He/she needs someone or something to show that they are good at something and are good enough. Often this may be due to a lack of confidence.

When studying Philosophy we have to know how to act and behave. People may not be interested when you talk about philosophy. Instead behave like a philosopher. Your actions demonstrate your beliefs.

How you act may generate interests in others as to why. Some will not care and that is ok. You demonstrate the benefits of philosophy instead of lecturing about it. Talk is cheap and action speaks louder than words.

You cannot force your beliefs on others. If the topic comes up stay silent and humble. If anything tell others you are a student and sources of Stoic philosophy if they are interested. If people say they know more than you it does not need to hurt you.

People will see a difference in you. They will see the benefits of philosophy even if they did not know anything about it. There are other benefits of being humble.

Enchiridion 45 looks at ways we jump to conclusions and are quick to make judgements. Our judgements can  rest in how we view things and appearance. But we have to look at what is happening beneath the surface.

We would not want people to make judgements about us based on superficial information. Before judging a situation thing about the why. Why is this happening the way it is?

There may be a backstory that explains a situation or people we interact with. How do you know something is bad only with superficial information? We must view the reality of what is going on. Look at things as they are and draw conclusions based on facts.

There can be significant risks when making assumptions.

Enchiridion 44 shows how we make comparisons to other people. We need to look at our own lives and stop the comparisons. When comparisons are made we look at signs of superiority because of things like money or goods.

These are false arguments. They are not based on facts. We can internalize things based on externals. An inference can be made that if someone has a better house they are better than their neighbor. This can also be seen in the reverse where an individual feels inferior.

We are not reflected or identified by the things we own. It does not show the character of the individual. Externals do not say who we are.   

Enchiridion 43 is a classic passage in Stoic readings that looks at how you behave in a situation. There are different viewpoints of a situation. Where does your focus lie?

Analyze a situation and decide a course of action. Getting angry or frustrated does not help. Do you want to preserve relationships or remedy situations? You do have a choice.

You may feel there is only one option. We do have a choice where to place our focus. There is always an option b. It is like the proverbial fork in the road that we have to choose.

In this chapter Epictetus states that everything has two handles. But is it not possible that there are more than two handles in this metaphor? If so how co you choose?

Enchiridion 42 looks at how we deal with other people who may be difficult to us. There may be some sort of conflict from personality or a situation.

People act this way because this is how they think they should behave. To them they are doing what they think is right. The thing is there are different expectations for each side and each individual.

We cannot impose our viewpoint on others. It is up to them to change their behavior or opinion. We are only affected by negative emotions unless we allow ourselves to be. It affects our way of thinking if we let it affect us.

The truth is what it is. We let ourselves get hurt when we insert our own opinion of what the truth is. We must be open minded to those we are in conflict with. Think about the source of behavior and actions of others. They may not be a bad person but personal situation makes them act as they do.

Certain healthy boundaries need to be set in order to move forward. This allows some separation to look at things with reason and from the other individual’s perspective. It also helps to let us measure our response when something happens.

Enchiridion 41 describes a contest between the body and mind. It is good to take care of the body but do not be obsessed with this.

The mind is important because it holds the faculty of choice. Many aspects of life and lifestyle provide pleasure like food and drink. There is gratification in the choices we make.

But if gratification is not met it does not mean we cannot have a full life. Do not spend all your time on physical activities. However it is important to pay attention to what matters. People get obsessed with athletics and physical activities for the body. But the mind is where we make decisions and be the focus of development.

Exercise of the body is often done in the morning. A morning run or trip to the gym before work. But you can also exercise the mind in the morning.

We often take for granted that our brains are able to function in amazing ways. We also tend to forget that this is a very important part of our bodies to really take good care of. One way you can treat your brain well is to stimulate it each day before you get out of bed. It doesn’t take long to accomplish, and it is going to help you face each new day in a positive light.