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<v Speaker 1>All right, so get this today, we're getting life advice

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<v Speaker 1>from like a Roman emperor.

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<v Speaker 2>Crazy, right, Okay, now you've got me curious. Tell me more.

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<v Speaker 1>We're talking about Marcus Aurelius, you know, the philosopher emperor

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<v Speaker 1>rule Rome at its peak.

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<v Speaker 2>Oh yeah, I know him.

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<v Speaker 1>But this isn't about conquering barbarians or anything like that.

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<v Speaker 1>It's about conquering something way harder.

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<v Speaker 2>What's that yourself? Oooh, now we're talking. Yeah, so tell

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<v Speaker 2>me how does a Roman emperor from what eighteen hundred

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<v Speaker 2>years ago teach us about self improvement?

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<v Speaker 1>Well, that's the really cool part. It's through his meditations. Basically,

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<v Speaker 1>it's like his personal journal. But forget Cherius and Togas

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<v Speaker 1>and all that. It's packed with like surprisingly relatable wisdom,

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<v Speaker 1>stuff that's still relevant even with all our modern day anxieties.

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<v Speaker 2>Interesting, what kind of wisdom are we talking about?

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<v Speaker 1>We're talking about Stoic philosophy.

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<v Speaker 2>Stoicism. Oh, that sounds kind of serious, doesn't it.

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<v Speaker 1>I know, it gets a bad rap for being all

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<v Speaker 1>about like suppressing your emotions and stuff, but it's so

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<v Speaker 1>much deeper than that. We actually have excerpt from this

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<v Speaker 1>chatbot conversation where someone asked it to, like imagine a

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<v Speaker 1>podcast about Marcus Aurelius. Okay, and it came up with

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<v Speaker 1>some really good episode titles like Mindfulness and Virtue. How

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<v Speaker 1>Marcus Aurelius Defines True Strength.

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<v Speaker 2>Wow, that's actually a pretty good title. What happened next?

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<v Speaker 1>So then the user asked the chatbot to like write

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<v Speaker 1>an entire essay based on one of the titles Stoic

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<v Speaker 1>Wisdom life Lessons from Marcus Aurelius's meditations. Interesting, and let

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<v Speaker 1>me tell you this chatbot delivered. It dove into the

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<v Speaker 1>core of Stoicism and how it can be applied to

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<v Speaker 1>today's world.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, all right, you've piqued my curiosity. So where

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<v Speaker 2>do we even begin with this Stoic wisdoms? Okay?

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<v Speaker 1>So picture this. It's a one seventy a d. Marcus

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<v Speaker 1>Aurelius is leading the Roman Empire, right, He's dealing with

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<v Speaker 1>barbarian invasions, devastating play. Yeah, it's gonna say that sounds

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<v Speaker 1>a little stressful, right, maybe even a rebellious teenager, you know,

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<v Speaker 1>relatable stuff.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I'd say those are a few stressors.

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<v Speaker 1>And in the middle of all that chaos, he's writing

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<v Speaker 1>the notes to himself, not about how to be a

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<v Speaker 1>better emperor or anything, but about how to be a

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<v Speaker 1>better person.

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<v Speaker 2>Wow, even emperors had self help books. Uh so what

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<v Speaker 2>was Aurelius' secret?

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<v Speaker 1>Well, one major takeaway from meditations is this whole idea

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<v Speaker 1>of control. The chatbot essay sums it up really nicely,

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<v Speaker 1>the art of.

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<v Speaker 2>Calm, The art of calm, I like that.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, right? So basically, Marcus Aurelius realized that a lot

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<v Speaker 1>of our stress comes from well, trying to control things

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<v Speaker 1>we simply can't like like other people, the past, the future,

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<v Speaker 1>all that stuff.

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<v Speaker 2>That's so true.

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<v Speaker 1>What he could control, though, were a own thoughts and reactions.

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<v Speaker 2>That's so true. I think when I think about the

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<v Speaker 2>times that I feel the most stressed, it's usually when

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<v Speaker 2>I'm trying to control the uncontrollable, you know. But how

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<v Speaker 2>do we actually put that into practice?

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<v Speaker 1>And that's where it's really interesting. The chatbot actually gives

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<v Speaker 1>a great example. Like, imagine you've got a big presentation

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<v Speaker 1>at work, right, Yeah, So instead of stressing about whether

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<v Speaker 1>your boss will like it, or if your colleagues will

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<v Speaker 1>be impressed, all that stuff that's totally out of your control,

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<v Speaker 1>you focus on what you can.

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<v Speaker 2>Control like your preparation and the clarity of your ideas,

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<v Speaker 2>like your delivery, bringing your a game.

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<v Speaker 1>Exactly. It's all about like taking ownership of the situation.

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<v Speaker 1>And as the chappop pointed out, this is where mindfulness

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<v Speaker 1>comes in, which from Marcus aurelia Is wasn't just about meditating,

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<v Speaker 1>but like a.

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<v Speaker 2>Way of life mindfulness. Now, how does that fit into stoicism.

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<v Speaker 1>So aureli Is believed that mindfulness, you know, like being

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<v Speaker 1>present and aware of your thoughts without judgment, is the

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<v Speaker 1>key to living a virtuous life. You see. He saw

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<v Speaker 1>awareness of our thoughts as like the crucial first step

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<v Speaker 1>to choosing how we react. It's about recognizing those negative

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<v Speaker 1>thought patterns we all have and choosing not to let

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<v Speaker 1>them control us, you know.

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<v Speaker 2>So it's about being mindful not just of what's happening externally,

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<v Speaker 2>but also about what's going on in our.

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<v Speaker 1>Own heads exactly. And that mindfulness then gives us the

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<v Speaker 1>ability to exercise that stoic control we're talking about. Think

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<v Speaker 1>about it. If we're not even aware of our thoughts,

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<v Speaker 1>we can't choose to shift them in a more positive direction.

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<v Speaker 2>It's amazing how relevant these ideas are. I mean, it

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<v Speaker 2>was thousands of years ago, but still, I mean, sure,

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<v Speaker 2>we have smartphones and the internet all that, but deep down,

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<v Speaker 2>don't you think we're still wrestling with the same questions

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<v Speaker 2>about how to be happy, how to find peace of mind,

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<v Speaker 2>purpose in life.

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<v Speaker 1>Absolutely, we might have different distractions now, but the human

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<v Speaker 1>experience is still fundamentally the same. And in a way,

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<v Speaker 1>Marcus Aurelius was trying to answer those same questions just

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<v Speaker 1>in a toga.

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<v Speaker 2>So we've got mindfulness as a way to deal with

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<v Speaker 2>our thoughts and reactions. But what about all the other stuff,

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<v Speaker 2>the things we really can't control. How does stoicism approach those? Well,

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<v Speaker 2>that's where acceptance comes in, you see. Marcus Aurelius, he

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<v Speaker 2>believed that a lot of our suffering comes from like

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<v Speaker 2>fighting against reality, fighting against what already is.

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<v Speaker 1>Like when you order an iced coffee but they accidentally

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<v Speaker 1>give you a hot coffee. You can get upset and

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<v Speaker 1>demand they fix it, or you can just be like, Okay,

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<v Speaker 1>I guess I'm having a hot coffee today.

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<v Speaker 2>Exactly. We can like rage against the coffee machine of life,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, or we can accept what is and move forward.

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<v Speaker 1>I like that raging against the coffee machine of life.

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<v Speaker 1>I'm using that, But seriously, how does this whole radical

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<v Speaker 1>acceptance thing actually work? Like, how do we just accept

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<v Speaker 1>the things we don't like?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, the chatbot essay actually highlighted this quote from Meditations

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<v Speaker 2>that I thought was really powerful.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, let's hear it.

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<v Speaker 2>Aurelius writes, the mind adapts and converts to its own purposes.

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<v Speaker 2>The obstacle to our acting the impediment to action, advances action.

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<v Speaker 2>What stands in the way becomes the way.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, unpack that one for me. What does that even mean?

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<v Speaker 2>It means basically, we have a choice. We can view

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<v Speaker 2>obstacles as like these insurmountable roadblocks right right, or we

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<v Speaker 2>can find a way to adapt, to shift our perspective

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<v Speaker 2>to turn those obstacles into opportunities for growth.

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<v Speaker 1>It's like that saying, when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

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<v Speaker 2>Right, But Aurelius is taking it a step further. I

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<v Speaker 2>think he's saying, when life gives you lemons, use them

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<v Speaker 2>to build something amazing.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, I can get behind that. So instead of getting

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<v Speaker 1>stuck in the yme phase, it's more about Okay, this

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<v Speaker 1>is happening.

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<v Speaker 2>Now, what exactly and that shift in perspective can make

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<v Speaker 2>all the difference. Two people can face the exact same obstacle,

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<v Speaker 2>but their reactions will be totally different based on their mindset.

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<v Speaker 1>It's like that old saying, it's not what happens to you,

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<v Speaker 1>but how you react to it that matters, exactly. So

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<v Speaker 1>we've got mindfulness for controlling our reactions to the things

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<v Speaker 1>we can control, and acceptance for the things we can't.

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<v Speaker 1>What other Stoic gems did Marcus Aurelius leave for us?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, he also talked a lot about virtue.

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<v Speaker 1>Virtue.

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<v Speaker 2>Yeah, he believed that virtue was the key to living

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<v Speaker 2>a good life, a life of like meaning, purpose, even happiness.

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<v Speaker 1>So like virtue in the sense of being a good.

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<v Speaker 2>Person exactly, But for the Stoics it went beyond just

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<v Speaker 2>like being nice. They believe that true strength came from

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<v Speaker 2>aligning your actions with wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance.

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<v Speaker 1>Those are some pretty hefty virtues. What did he mean

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<v Speaker 1>by that?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, take wisdom, for example, a really assaul wisdom as

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<v Speaker 2>this ability to see things clearly, to see them for

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<v Speaker 2>what they truly are, not how we wish they were.

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<v Speaker 2>Right and in our modern world with so much information

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<v Speaker 2>overload that's more important than ever.

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<v Speaker 1>It's like we're constantly bombarded with all these different perspectives,

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<v Speaker 1>all these truths. It's so easy to just blindly accept

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<v Speaker 1>what we see online without like even questioning.

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<v Speaker 2>It right, And really this would probably encourage us to

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<v Speaker 2>engage in what the Chatbock called active wisdom.

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<v Speaker 1>Active wisdom I.

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<v Speaker 2>Like it, Yeah, to be critical thinkers, to seek out

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<v Speaker 2>diverse perspectives to like form our own informed opinions.

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<v Speaker 1>So wisdom in the age of social media. Check what

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<v Speaker 1>about the other stoic virtues justice, courage, and temperance. What

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<v Speaker 1>do those look like today? So how do these other

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<v Speaker 1>virtues like justice, courage, temperance, How do those fit into

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<v Speaker 1>our modern lives? Those seem like big kind of old

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<v Speaker 1>fashioned ideas.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, well, they might sound old fashioned, but they're

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<v Speaker 2>actually like incredibly relevant to the challenges we face today

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<v Speaker 2>even now. Take justice for example, Okay, Marcus Aurelius, he

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<v Speaker 2>really believed in acting fairly and ethically even when it's hard, yea.

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<v Speaker 2>And in today's world, where it's so easy to get

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<v Speaker 2>caught up in our own little bubbles, that sense of justice,

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<v Speaker 2>of like standing up for what's right even when it's unpopular.

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<v Speaker 2>I think that's incredibly important.

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<v Speaker 1>Yeah, it's like choosing to speak out against injustice, even

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<v Speaker 1>if it means like going against.

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<v Speaker 2>The crowd exactly. Or think about courage. Okay, In ancient Rome,

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<v Speaker 2>courage might have meant like facing down a line in

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<v Speaker 2>the colisseum, right, but today courage it might mean speaking

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<v Speaker 2>your truth in a meeting, or like setting healthy boundaries

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<v Speaker 2>in your relationships, or even just you know, facing your

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<v Speaker 2>fears head on.

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<v Speaker 1>It's about that inner strength to do what you think

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<v Speaker 1>is right, even when it's like uncomfortable or challenging.

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<v Speaker 2>Right exactly. And then there's temperance, which the stoics all

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<v Speaker 2>as like the art of moderation, of finding balance in

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<v Speaker 2>all areas of life, which in our you know, always

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<v Speaker 2>on constantly connected world, that virtue can be tough to practice.

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<v Speaker 1>Especially with social media right constantly tempting us with the

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<v Speaker 1>comparisons and instant gratification and.

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<v Speaker 2>All that exactly. Yeah, but really, as would remind us

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<v Speaker 2>that true contentment it doesn't come from chasing like fleeting

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<v Speaker 2>pleasures or external validation. It comes from finding joy in

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<v Speaker 2>the simple things, from cultivating inner peace, and from like

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<v Speaker 2>living in alignment with our values.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, this is all starting to make sense now, but

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<v Speaker 1>I have to admit it can feel a little overwhelming,

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<v Speaker 1>Like how do we actually like live this way? How

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<v Speaker 1>do we incorporate all of this stoic wisdom into our

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<v Speaker 1>daily lives? Well?

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<v Speaker 2>Remember, for Marcus Aurelius, stoicism wasn't about achieving like some

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<v Speaker 2>kind of perfect state. He saw it as a practice,

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<v Speaker 2>you know, a lifelong journey of self improvement.

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<v Speaker 1>So it's less about being a perfect stoic and more

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<v Speaker 1>about just like taking it one step at.

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<v Speaker 2>A time, precisely, it's about those small, consistent efforts to

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<v Speaker 2>like align your actions with these principles day after.

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<v Speaker 1>Okay, so like baby steps, where do we even begin?

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<v Speaker 1>What are some practical things we can do to bring

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<v Speaker 1>more stoicism into our lives?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, the chatbot has say, had a great suggestion journaling.

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<v Speaker 1>Journaling huh sounds so simple?

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<v Speaker 2>It is simple, but incredibly powerful. Remember Meditations itself, that

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<v Speaker 2>was essentially Marcus Aurelis's personal journal. You know, it was

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<v Speaker 2>his space to reflect, to like grapple with challenges, to

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<v Speaker 2>work through those difficult emotions. And we can do the same.

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<v Speaker 1>So it's like our own personal meditations a place to

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<v Speaker 1>get real with ourselves and see where we can do better.

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<v Speaker 1>But like, what do we actually write about?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, you can start with a quote from meditations that

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<v Speaker 2>like resonated with you and then just reflect on how

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<v Speaker 2>it applies to your own life. Or ask yourself, where

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<v Speaker 2>did I act according to my values today? Where did

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<v Speaker 2>I fall short? What am I grateful for?

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<v Speaker 1>I love that it's like creating that pause in our

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<v Speaker 1>day to like check in with ourselves and be more

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<v Speaker 1>intentional about our.

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<v Speaker 2>Choices exactly, And don't put pressure on yourself to write

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<v Speaker 2>like pages and pages. Even just five minutes of reflection

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<v Speaker 2>each day, I think can make a huge difference journaling.

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<v Speaker 1>Check what other practical tips did you come across in

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<v Speaker 1>your research?

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<v Speaker 2>Well, remember that stoic principle of control. Yeah, one of

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<v Speaker 2>the most like effective ways to put that into practice

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<v Speaker 2>is to focus on your sphere of influence. Okay, ask yourself,

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<v Speaker 2>what can I actually impact in this situation.

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<v Speaker 1>It's like when you're stuck in traffic, right, Like you

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<v Speaker 1>can't magically teleport yourself out of the car, but you

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<v Speaker 1>can choose how you react to the situation exactly.

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<v Speaker 2>You could get like angry and frustrated, or you could

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<v Speaker 2>use that time to listen to a podcast, or like

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<v Speaker 2>practice some mindfulness techniques, or even just enjoy the forced

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<v Speaker 2>break from your busy day.

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<v Speaker 1>It's about like finding those little pockets of control throughout

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<v Speaker 1>our day and like making conscious choices about how we

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<v Speaker 1>respond even to like the little annoyances.

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<v Speaker 2>You got it. It's about like training ourselves to find

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<v Speaker 2>those opportunities for growth, for practicing those stoic principles in

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<v Speaker 2>the midst of everyday life.

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<v Speaker 1>You know, one thing that really struck me about stoicism

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<v Speaker 1>is that it's not about like becoming some kind of

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<v Speaker 1>emotionless robot.

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<v Speaker 2>That's such a common misconception. Stoicism acknowledges the full spectrum

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<v Speaker 2>of human emotion. You know. It's not about suppressing your feelings.

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<v Speaker 2>It's about choosing how you respond to them.

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<v Speaker 1>So instead of letting our emotions like completely control us,

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<v Speaker 1>we can learn to experience them fully without letting them

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<v Speaker 1>like dictate our actions.

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<v Speaker 2>Exactly. It's about finding that balance between like feeling deeply

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<v Speaker 2>and acting wisely.

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<v Speaker 1>This has been such a great conversation. I always learn

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<v Speaker 1>so much from you. So as we wrap up here,

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<v Speaker 1>what's the one thing you hope our listeners take away

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<v Speaker 1>from our deep dive into Marcus Aurelius and stoicism.

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<v Speaker 2>You know, I think it really just boils down to this.

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<v Speaker 2>Even though Marcus Aurelius lived, you know, ESSENTIALI as ago

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<v Speaker 2>the wisdom he shared in meditations, it's incredibly relevant to

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<v Speaker 2>our modern lives. Whether it's you know, dealing with anxiety,

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<v Speaker 2>or navigating difficult relationships, or just simply trying to find

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<v Speaker 2>more peace and purpose in life. Stoicism offers a framework

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<v Speaker 2>for living with more intention, more resilience, and even more joy.

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<v Speaker 1>It's like he's saying, Hey, I know life is tough,

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<v Speaker 1>it's fully challenges, but you've got this. You have the

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<v Speaker 1>inner strength to face whatever comes your way.

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<v Speaker 2>And the best part is this inner strength, this stoic mindset,

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<v Speaker 2>it's available to all of us. It's not about being perfect.

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<v Speaker 2>It's about, you know, showing up each day and striving

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<v Speaker 2>to be the best version of ourselves.

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<v Speaker 1>And on that note, we'll leave you with this powerful

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<v Speaker 1>reminder from Marcus Aurelius himself. The happiness of your life

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<v Speaker 1>depends upon the quality of your thoughts. Thanks for joining

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<v Speaker 1>us for this deep dive, and we'll see you next

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<v Speaker 1>time