Overview of "Are You Having Trouble With These Changes? | Practice Letting Go" (Daily Stoic)
This Daily Stoic episode reframes modern anxieties about rapid cultural, technological, and personal change through Stoic practice. The host argues that change is constant and unavoidable, and offers Stoic exercises and perspectives — especially negative visualization and preparedness for loss — to help listeners be more present, resilient, and loving while accepting what they cannot control.
Key points and main takeaways
- Change is nothing new: culture, technology, politics, and the environment have always shifted; what matters is how we respond.
- Stoicism recommends preparing the mind for loss (negative visualization) not to be morbid, but to deepen appreciation and presence.
- Epictetus’s practical exercise: when parting from loved ones (e.g., saying goodnight) imagine them as fragile glass — this increases gratitude and reduces clinging.
- Marcus Aurelius practiced this to make each moment with his children more meaningful; it didn’t remove grief but intensified presence.
- Seneca: the wise person’s goods are internal (virtue) and thus not truly lost to Fortune — cultivate what cannot be taken away.
- Grief is natural and should be processed; Stoic texts (Seneca, Plutarch) can offer consolation and guidance.
- Do what’s within your control (safety measures, relationships, presence) and accept what isn’t.
Stoic exercises and practical steps
- Nightly negative visualization: briefly imagine that a loved one or possession could be lost. Use it to increase appreciation and presence, not to create fear.
- Reframe possessions/relationships as temporary “rentals” — this reduces clinging and prepares you emotionally for inevitable change.
- Act intentionally: tell people you love them, slow down during small moments (e.g., reading an extra story), and avoid prioritizing distractions over presence.
- When grieving: allow yourself to feel and process the loss; consider reading Stoic consolations to help reframe and work through sorrow.
Recommended readings and resources
- Epictetus — Discourses (exercise about imagining loved ones as fragile)
- Marcus Aurelius — Meditations (reflections on change and mortality)
- Seneca — Consolations / essays on grief and loss (consolation to his mother, consolation on the loss of a friend)
- Plutarch — Consolation to his wife after losing a child
- Philip Larkin — poem referenced (encourages loving and being kind while there’s still time)
- Daily Stoic website: for related essays and episode notes (search “Seneca grief daily stoic” for their resources)
Notable quotes / insights
- Epictetus: treat loved ones as “precious breakable glass.”
- Seneca (paraphrase): “The wise person can lose nothing… their goods are held firm, bound in virtue.”
- Marcus Aurelius: we exist because of the ceaseless river of change — change is merciless but also the source of life.
Action list (what to do this week)
- Practice one instance of negative visualization each night before bed.
- Say clearly and intentionally what you love/appreciate to one person you care about.
- Slow down a routine interaction (read an extra story, listen fully) to build presence.
- If coping with recent loss, read a Stoic consolation essay and allow time to grieve — don’t suppress emotions.
- Do practical things within your control to protect loved ones (health precautions, planning), while accepting that not everything is controllable.
Brief note on sponsors (mentioned in episode)
- Toyota Trucks (ad about adventure and resilience)
- HelloFresh (meal kit service)
- CookUnity (premade premium meals)
These sponsor segments were woven into the episode as brief endorsements and personal anecdotes from the host.
Final thought: The goal isn’t to become callous about loss but to deepen appreciation, act where you can, and cultivate inner goods (virtue and presence) that are resilient to change.