Hey,

So I was having one of those days yesterday.

You know the type - where your brain just won't... stop... spinning.

(Don't pretend you don't know what I'm talking about.)

And while I was sitting there trying not to lose my mind, I remembered something I'd read about these old Greek dudes called "Stoics."

Now, I'm not usually one for ancient philosophy...

...but these guys were ONTO SOMETHING when it comes to anxiety.

And I figured - what the heck - why not try one of their weird mental tricks?

So I did.

And guess what?

It actually WORKED.

Like, embarrassingly well.

So I thought I'd share the 3 weird Stoic anxiety-killers that actually worked for me (and might work for you too, if you're not too skeptical to try them):

WEIRD STOIC TRICK #1: The "Control Sorting Hat"

This is stupidly simple, but here goes:

When your mind is racing, just ask: "Can I control this thing I'm freaking out about?"

If yes → Then stop worrying and go control it.

If no → Then stop worrying because... well... what's the point?

(I know what you're thinking: "That's it? THAT'S the brilliant advice?" But stay with me here...)

When I tried this yesterday, I realized I was stressing about 17 different things... and I could only control about 2 of them.

So I just... stopped thinking about the other 15.

And it was like someone turned down the volume in my head.

WEIRD STOIC TRICK #2: The "Worst-Case Scenario Game"

This one's counterintuitive (which is why I like it).

Instead of avoiding thinking about what's making you anxious...

...deliberately imagine the ABSOLUTE WORST thing that could happen.

Play it out in vivid detail. Feel the emotion. Go there mentally.

Then ask: "Could I survive this?"

When I did this, I realized that even my worst-case scenario was... survivable. Not fun, but survivable.

And suddenly my actual situation seemed almost laughably manageable by comparison.

WEIRD STOIC TRICK #3: The "Embrace the Suck" Method

Most people fight anxiety like it's a home invader.

The Stoics? They'd invite it in for tea.

Next time you feel anxious, try this bizarre approach:

Don't resist it. Don't fight it. Just... sit with it.

Say to yourself: "This is anxiety. I'm feeling anxious right now. And that's okay."

When I tried this, something strange happened. The anxiety didn't immediately vanish...

...but it lost its POWER over me.

It was just a sensation. Not a monster.

Look, I'm not claiming these tricks will work for everyone.

And if you're dealing with serious anxiety, please talk to an actual professional (not some random email writer obsessed with ancient Greeks).

But if you're just having one of those days where your brain won't shut up?

Give these weird Stoic tricks a try.

What's the worst that could happen? (See what I did there? Trick #2. You're welcome.)

Talk soon,

A Stoics Daily

P.S. If you try any of these, shoot me a reply and let me know if they worked for you. I'm genuinely curious if I'm the only one these Stoic hacks work for.

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