What is Stoicism?

Stoicism was founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens around 300 BC, and it takes its name from the Stoa Poikile, the painted porch where he taught. Its core idea, often called the dichotomy of control, is that our judgments and actions are ours to govern, while outside events are not. Famous Stoics include the Roman statesman Seneca, the former slave Epictetus and the emperor Marcus Aurelius, whose private journal became the book Meditations. The founders of cognitive behavioural therapy, including Albert Ellis and Aaron Beck, cited Stoic ideas as an influence. The philosophy has enjoyed a huge revival online among people looking for practical ways to handle stress.