The One Stoic Quote That Changed My Response to Anger
The vital difference between external action, a reaction to the experience and how things can turn out calmly.
The Stoics and ancient Greek thinkers believed virtue and reason are the secrets to true happiness, or “eudaimonia.” Epictetus, a stoic philosopher, thought our interpretation and judgment of experiences without internal reason can rob us of the true inner freedom and happiness we want.
He observed our judgments are the source of our suffering.
The key to controlling our anger (a reaction to sadness, powerlessness, frustration, hurt, guilt, inadequacy or anxiety) andgetting back to reason is reinterpreting external experiences in a way that doesn’t disturb our inner peace.
This quote from Epictetus changed my reaction to anger:
“Keep in mind that it isn’t the one who has it in for you and takes a swipe that harms you, but rather the harm comes from your own belief about the abuse. So when someone arouses your anger, know that it’s really your own opinion fueling it. Instead, make it your first response not to be carried away by such impressions, for with time and distance self-mastery is more easily achieved.” — Epictetus
