How to Live in Difficult and Stressful Times

Stoicism: A lifetime philosophy of dealing with stress

I worked for a company where I attended management and sales meetings. The CEO liked to belittle his workers. I soon figured he wanted to make himself feel superior It said more about him than us. It was counterproductive. I had to figure out how one of the managers seemed to totally ignore the insults and resumed conversation as if nothing was said. He seemed to always exhibit grace under fire. A king of cool.

The Relevance of the Revival of Stoicism

There are more articles in the media lately about the revival of this ancient philosophy, since Stoicism has relevance for living through difficult times of stress. It seems that many have misunderstood Stoicism so here is one outline that may help us through this valuable guide to the era we are living.

Mindful of the virtues of wisdom. justice, courage and temperance, our focus is on maintaining codes and developing control. To change what you can and learn how to live with what you can’t. The initial example I gave above was solved by my understanding his side and then developing emotional resilience on my end. This has worked well for me many times since.

We all experience challenges and difficulties. Stoics maintain that acceptance can promote positive thinking and surprisingly often, practical resolutions. Stoicism promotes effective strategies for navigating life’s challenges. The mindfulness, self-reflection, and positive attitude of Stoicism are also taken from our Cognitive Behavior psychology of working through adversity. Therefore, Stoicism is not about suppressing emotions. It is acting with reason, virtue and courage in the face of adversities. Stoic solutions are about understanding and making the best of whatever life is presenting.

Our Mindset: Attitude is everything. Developing faith in affirmations and self-talk will work to get you through some of the toughest adversities. Prayer is another creative energy. Faith, or believing is its accelerant. Persist in finding whatever works for you.

Sources and credits: Lifelong Learning in partnership with Farleigh Dickenson University, Google AI Knowledge Resources, Positive Mindset presentation by Michelle LeGrand. Personal Experience, “Forty Miles of Bad Road” article in April 2025 Riverside Idyll.