Karen Duffy

Bring up philosophy, and people look at you like you asked them to chew bees. But Stoic philosophy is practical wisdom for everyone. The Stoics of ancient Greece and Rome used a practice called 'premeditation malorum'-imagining bad things that might occur, so as to be better prepared to roll with the punches. You can also flip this practice on its head, and anticipate that good things will happen, so you can appreciate them when they do.

Stoic optimists do not live with their heads in the clouds. They are committed to being a person with both feet on the ground, who focuses on the positive, who looks for the good in people, and opportunities to be of service. When negative events happen, optimists pick themselves up with Stoicism.

Optimists propel us forward. Innovators, entrepreneurs, and activists are optimists. Stoics know that optimism won’t solve all the world’s problems, but we will never stop trying.