Enchiridion 30 examines how we develop and maintain our integrity when dealing with others. Our path to improvement in Stoicism can be measured how we interact with others.

We must understand what is in our control and what is not. Our faculty of choice and moral purpose must be maintained. It may mean setting certain boundaries in any relationship.

One concern you might have with setting boundaries with others is that you don’t want to make unfair ones that will drive people away. Sometimes it’s necessary to have tough boundaries, but you need to make sure they’re fair so that you’re not actually imposing on other people as well.

There are some good ways for you to make sure your boundaries are fair while still achieving the goal you want to

Enchiridion 29 can be considered seeking what we call a lifestyle. What do you want your life to look like. You need to commit to something with focus. You need to have discipline for the life you want.

If you do not do this you will settle back to a state of status quo. Setbacks can happen and it requires understanding your purpose to deal with them. It is up to us to make the life we want. We have an inner greatness that can be shaped with Stoic principles.

Everyone is born with a potential to achieve greatness, yet not many of us manage to achieve that greatness. If you want to inspire yourself to greatness then you need to consciously examine your habits and learn to change them when they no longer serve your purpose.

Greatness won't just appear because you think you're great or you're thinking about being great. It's a virtue that you have to nurture, you have to invest in it and be intentional about it.

Enchiridion 28 looks at the comparison that is made with rational thought. When external matters in life are threatened we become defensive like our possessions or reputation. Some borrows your car and wrecks it. We get angry. Someone pushes you want to push back.

But do not feel this way when our mind or way of thinking is handed over to another.  We put our mind and thoughts in the hand of others. We are putting our faculties in someone elses power.

We may not even realize this and the loss of control. But we also do not question this. Where can this happen?

One thing can be marketing where marketers try to persuade us to buy things.

There is also manipulation. Look at relationships where one plays mind games and guilt trips on the other. They control the thinking of the other partner. The victim may not realize it or accept it.

There are many, many times in your life when decisions get made. It can be major events, such as where to go to college or what company to work for, or small decisions, like where you’re going to get food from, and everything in between.

Enchiridion 27 shows us that things are not set up to go bad. Things just happen for what they are.  We have to look at things that are in our control. How we shape our judgements and decisions shapes what happens.

There is not some grand scheme to screw you over. It provides a roadmap on life as to what can happen and what we can make happen.

There is a concept in Christianity of original sin which is the state of sin that according to Christian theology characterizes all human beings as a result of Adam's fall. In other words sin is inherent in us. However this is not the case we can set our own course in life.

If you ever want to achieve your goals in life, you have to be proactive. You can’t be passive in the way you go through life and expect to come out ahead in the end. Those who are passive in life tend to fulfill other’s goals and dreams or just coast through life.

Enchiridion 26 takes the approach of reverse perspective of looking at someone’s circumstances from their perspective. You look at the choices and decisions they have to make and are able to be rational.

It gives a degree of separation where we think it is not so bad for the other person. We should take this approach in our own lives and see things are not so bad for ourselves. We can manage if we follow the same advise we give to others.

Epictetus uses the analogy of when a wife or child die. This approach can help with others in dealing with human trauma.

When someone you care about has experienced emotional trauma, your support is critical for helping them to process their experience and deal with their emotions healthily. While you may not think there is much you can do to help your loved one, you would be a mistake.

Enchiridion 25 looks into the issue of others getting honored more than us. We have a choice if we let this bother us. We can draw negative feelings from this or we can act in a way that maintains our integrity.

Some may feel others are getting entitlements for nothing other than superficial reasons. We must understand we cannot have everything in life and must earn what we can accomplish.  What results is making comparisons

How many times a day do you compare yourself to others? We do it in our careers. We do it with our family or friends, and on occasion, we even compare ourselves to complete strangers. There are some positive aspects of comparing yourself others. It can motivate you to go back to school and earn a different degree. It can also propel you to apply for a better job or look for ways to become a better person.

Unfortunately, there are real dangers in comparingyourself to others in life. Comparing who you are with others can trigger negative emotions and actions.

Enchiridion 23 looks at what are you trying to achieve for happiness in life. Some try to get approval from other people. None of these bring happiness. True happiness comes from within.

Your sense of self is your confidence and strength in your own abilities that allows you to control your life and realize your goals. The foundation of this is your own competence and vision for your life as well as how you allow yourself to be treated by others.

Personal power is empowering, it is empowerment, but giving away your personal power leaves you feeling helpless, which is never an effective way to achieve happiness.

When you practice philosophy people may make fun of you. They may not understand it. They may envy the progress you made in its practice.

Things like these may dissuade you from the practice of philosophy. It takes persistence and commitment. It really brings improvement through the benefits of philosophy.

But what benefits does philosophy bring? It starts with emotional wellness.

Emotional wellness is more than just the difficulties or struggles you have in your life in the same way your health is more than any one disease or current problem. We all have issues and things to work on, so that does not define our emotional health.

Instead, this aspect of wellness is about how you handle these and other difficulties in your life and how you choose to embrace the positive aspects of your life, as well.

We have a tendency to look at things that seem terrible. Are we prepared for what happens? We have to remind ourselves to put things in perspective.

When you feel worried, anxious, depressed, agitated, or worried, you are in turmoil. And many times, the source of this turmoil lies within yourself, not at the hands of external forces. This is known as inner turmoil, and it manifests itself in many different ways. Most people experience troubling thoughts that continually repeat themselves, and you may feel like you have no control over these ideas.