To help achieve the kind of mental freedom the Stoics enjoyed by worrying less about the opinions of others, I have constructed a short exercise that uses some imagery from Kurt Vonnegut's novel Breakfast of Champions.

I’ve called it the Molecular Pause technique.

When to use it: Use the Molecular Pause technique whenever you feel discomfort or hesitation in your actions due to the fear of judgment.

What to use it for: Use this technique to remind yourself to, as Seneca put it, be your own spectator and seek your own sincere praise. The idea is to cultivate courage and build confidence in your actions, independent of external validation.

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