Letters from a Stoic

Non est beatus, esse se qui non putat.

Rating: 4/5 – Ancient advice for the good life

⊕ The title quote means “He is not happy who does not think himself so.” Basically meaning that one cannot be happy unless they decide to be. This is a central tenant of my life philosophy There’s a lot of fantastic stuff in this book. Though most the wisdom within isn’t new to me, it was incredible to see how enduring some of the ideas have been throughout human history.

What’s truly remarkable about this book is how relatable it was, millenia later. It’s comforting to know that for at least 2000 years humans have been struggling with vanity, excess, and pride. So much of what feels like a modern struggle has been persisting for likely as long as we’ve had civilization.

There’s a tremendous comfort in learning that your struggles are not new. There’s inspiration in learning that the ancients were seeking the same wisdom as yourself.

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