from Phil Van Treuren
If you want to really understand how Stoicism works to make us happier, then think of it like physical exercise. You can’t just lift weights one time and suddenly get stronger. In the same way, you can’t just read one book and suddenly be a master at Stoic thinking.
Epictetus said “books are the training weights of the mind.” And just like pumping iron takes years to show great results, training your mind to be more calm and logical is a long process.
When stuff happens that’s outside of our control, our brains are used to getting angry or scared or worried. It’s really hard to make ourselves stop and think about our impressions before we react. It’s sort of like the resistance you feel when you lift a heavy weight.
It takes a long time and lots of “reps” before Stoic thinking starts to come naturally. But once it does, don’t forget: if you stop practicing, if you stop lifting those weights, then your mind is gonna get out of shape again pretty quickly.