Stoicism is about finding your power within—your self-control and discipline to live a good life. Marcus Aurelius, a Roman emperor who championed Stoic philosophy, advanced the idea that the quality of your life would depend on your ability to use reason as the ruling element in the way you conduct yourself, deal with others, and handle situations. He advocated mental toughness amidst adversity and fortitude of character amidst miseries. Stoicism recognizes the hardships inherent in life as well as the reality and inevitability of death. Acknowledging that such are inescapable in the human condition, adherents of Stoic philosophy strive to veer away from complaining about such things and instead shift their focus to those that are within human power to change and control—the perspective and attitude taken in the face of challenge and adversity.

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