What I Can Control Today (Epictetus in real life)

"Some things are up to us and some are not."
– Epictetus, Enchiridion 1

I didn't heal by getting braver overnight. I healed by getting clearer about what was actually in my control. In practice, it looks like this: the market, other people's moods, the past – not mine. My next action, my attention, my attitude – mine.

A 5-Minute Control Audit
Grab a piece of paper. Two columns.
• Not mine: List 3 things stressing you that you can't directly control. Draw a line through them.
• List 3 things you can do in the next hour. Pick one. Do it now.

That's it. You just practiced practical Stoicism.

My Toolkit (what I use daily)
• Stoic-To -Do-List: One action for the next 10 minutes, one for this hour, one for tonight
• Cognitive Reframing: What story am I telling myself– and what's a truer, kinder story?
• View from Above: Zoom out 6 months. Is this still important? If not, restructure your actions.

Why this works
When we expend energy on what we can not control, we drain our fuel for what we can control. "Moving one pebble today beats arguing with the mountain."
If you're rebuilding after injury, or loss, this is the method I used – page by page, day by day.

Try it today
Write your 2 columns. Cross out what you cannot control. Do one small thing that is within your power.

Question for you:
What's one action you can take within the next hour?