“Nearly two thousand years ago, Stoic philosophers were also trying to find peace. Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor, made it a point to spend time alone with his journal every morning before dawn. Epictetus, the former slave turned philosopher, admonished his students to constantly keep in mind that “Men are disturbed not by things, but by the principles and notions which they form concerning things.” For the Stoics, practicing philosophy was a necessity. Something they could constantly come back to to remind themselves what was in their control and help them view outside events with more detachment. And this is why the writings of the Stoics have endured for so long and continue to teach people from all walks of life how to be less reactive, more reflective, and more level-headed.”