The Daily Stoic - Are You Allowed To Cry?

Episode Date: July 24, 2024

A Stoic is invulnerable. A Stoic is tough. A Stoic is emotionless. A Stoic can't cry...right?You’re only human. So be human and let yourself feel.💡 Take the first step towards a calmer future by signing up for the course: Taming Your Temper: The 11 Day Stoic Guide to Controlling Your Anger at the Daily Stoic Store: https://dailystoic.com/anger✉️ Want Stoic wisdom delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up for the FREE Daily Stoic email at https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail🏛 Get Stoic inspired books, medallions, and prints to remember these lessons at the Daily Stoic Store: https://store.dailystoic.com/📱 Follow us:  Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and FacebookSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Wondery Plus subscribers can listen to The Daily Stoic early and ad free right now. Just join Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple Podcast. and wisdom, everyday life. Each one of these passages is based on the 2000 year old philosophy that has guided some of history's greatest men and women. For more, you can visit us, dailystoic.com. Are you allowed to cry? A stoic is invulnerable, a stoic is tough, a stoic is emotionless, a stoic doesn't can't cry, right? Well, Marcus Aurelius sure seemed to think otherwise. Here we have him

weeping over the death of a beloved tutor, here we have him breaking down at the thought of becoming emperor, here we have him crying over the loss of so many during the plague, here we have him tearing up at the assassinated body of his rival, Avidius Cassius, mourning the murdered opportunity to grant the man clemency. The point is, Marcus Aurelius didn't see any contradiction with these shows of emotion. He didn't think it was unmanly to be sad or to mourn. In fact, the only time we do have Marcus Aurelius talking about an emotion not being manly is in reference to losing your temper.

Besides that, the Stoics would say, it's okay to let it out. Don't feel bad if that's what you need. Life can be a pressure cooker at times. And like an actual pressure cooker, you've got to hit the release valve every so often so the whole thing doesn't explode in your face. You are only human. So be human. Not just once, but all the time.

Let yourself feel. If you like The Daily Stoic and thanks for listening, you can listen early and ad-free right now by joining Wondery Plus in the Wondery app or on Apple podcasts. Prime members can listen ad free on Amazon Music. And before you go, would you tell us about yourself by filling out a short survey on Wondery.com slash survey.