If Stoics Cared so Much about Acceptance, Did They Take Action?
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Even though the Stoics accepted the world for what it was, that doesn’t mean that they didn’t try to change things for the better.
I had a client who said once to me, “I don’t want to accept things because it feels like giving up.”
Acceptance doesn’t mean rolling over. Acceptance means coming to terms with reality — accepting what is — and then making a plan to move forward with a clear head.
The opposite of acceptance is resistance. That tightening and contraction of the body. Rumination and wishing for something different.
Not much progress is made when we let our emotions and our passions (in the Stoic/Enneagram sense) run wild, as you’ve witnessed when people scream at each other and make rash decisions, or go silent and withdraw.
“To offer no resistance to life is to be in a state of grace, ease, and lightness. This state is then no longer dependent upon things being in a certain way, good or bad.”
It’s about expansion. Dropping that resistance. Opening yourself up, which requires a lot of self awareness.
Attention to oneself (prosochē) was very important to the ancient Stoics, not just because it improved their wellbeing and helped them flourish. Self awareness helped them (and us) live more heroically, more courageously.
The ancient Stoics didn’t sit on the sidelines. They were teachers, politicians, playwrights, emperors. And they courageously spoke out against injustice and tyranny, even when it got them exiled or cost them their lives.
Not all of them lived to such a high moral code, of course. They were human beings, not saints (or sages). They messed up all the time, reflected on it, journaled on it, then shook it off and began again.
If this day were your last, would you be satisfied with how you’ve lived it?
If you’re looking for more peace, clarity, and positive transformation in your life, I’m here to help.
Hi. I’m Sarah Mikutel and, using tools like the Enneagram and Stoicism, I help my coaching clients reduce their anxiety and overwhelm, strengthen their relationships, and shift from uncomfortable stalemate to confident action.
You will never have this day again. It’s time to make every moment matter.
