Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism.

In this episode, we explore what it really means to build a strong relationship, not from modern ideals of romance or constant happiness, but from a Stoic understanding of character, responsibility, and shared life. Relationships matter deeply in everyday life, yet they often become a source of anxiety, pressure, and confusion. The Stoics approached them differently, seeing relationships not as a solution to personal emptiness, but as a field in which virtue is practiced.

At the core of this episode is a simple but demanding insight: strong relationships begin with a strong relationship to oneself. Before seeking completion in another, Stoicism asks us to cultivate self-knowledge, balance, and inner stability. From that foundation, relationships become places of cooperation rather than dependency, growth rather than possession.

Marcus Aurelius captures this clearly when he writes:
“People exist for one another; you can instruct them, or endure them.”
Meditations, Book 8.59

For the Stoics, this wasn’t about ideal harmony or avoiding conflict, but about understanding our role toward others. When Marcus Aurelius writes this, he isn’t being cynical, but reminding us that relationships are part of our nature as social beings. They call us to act with patience, fairness, and care, even when it is difficult.

The episode also draws on Stoic reflections on friendship, marriage, and attachment, including insights from Seneca and Epictetus, showing that lasting relationships are grounded in virtue rather than pleasure, status, or fear of loss.

Here are a few Stoic practices from this episode you can explore in your own life:

• Strengthen your inner foundation – Work on self-knowledge and balance before seeking fulfillment through another person.

• Practice relationships as cooperation – Replace winning arguments with understanding and shared responsibility.

• Examine judgments in conflict – Pause before reacting and question the story you are telling yourself about the other person.

• Hold relationships with gratitude, not fear – Remember that others are mortal and changeable, and let this deepen appreciation rather than anxiety.

In a time when relationships are often idealized or feared, Stoicism offers a grounded alternative. It helps us approach love, friendship, and partnership with clarity, realism, and care. By the end of this episode, you’ll see that Stoicism isn’t a cold philosophy of detachment, but a way of building relationships that are honest, resilient, and rooted in virtue.

Listen to the full episode now and discover how Stoic wisdom can transform the way you relate to others and to yourself.

Read the companion article: [insert link if available]

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🎙️ Produced by: badmic.com

Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism.

This is another Stoic Quotes edition, where we reflect on a single passage and its meaning for everyday life. In this episode, we turn to Marcus Aurelius and a note from Meditations 10.37:

“Learn to ask of all actions, ‘Why are they doing that?’ Starting with your own.”

In another translation, he adds:

“What is his point of reference here? But begin with yourself.”

Marcus is reminding himself that frustration often comes from rushed judgments. We often assume that others act to inconvenience or offend us when, in reality, they are guided by their own pressures, habits, and priorities. The Stoic task is to pause and question the story we tell ourselves, while first turning that same scrutiny inward. Have I acted like this before, and why?

This short reflection connects directly to the Stoic disciplines of Assent and Action. We cannot control what others do, but we can examine our judgments and choose a response rooted in patience rather than impulse. Practiced consistently, this habit softens irritation, reduces conflict, and helps us meet daily interactions with more understanding and restraint.

For more, check out this related article with quotes on dealing with frustrating people:
https://viastoica.com/how-to-deal-with-frustrating-people/
And if you’re looking for more Stoic sayings, visit viastoica.com, where you’ll find hundreds of quotes with full references to the original texts:
https://viastoica.com/stoic-quotes
https://viastoica.com/marcus-aurelius-quotes
https://viastoica.com/epictetus-quotes
https://viastoica.com/seneca-quotes
Make sure to subscribe for more Stoic Quotes episodes every Friday, as well as our Tuesday interviews and longer discussions.
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Produced by: badmic.com

Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism.

In this episode, we explore why New Year’s can feel strangely heavy, even when it’s meant to be a celebration. For many people, it becomes a moment of judgment, comparison, and pressure, a symbolic “turning point” that makes unfinished business feel louder than usual. The Stoics offer a calmer way to approach it, not as a magical reset, but as another chance to live with clarity, intention, and steadiness.

At the center of this episode is a simple Stoic shift: measure your year by your character, not your outcomes. We often evaluate ourselves by externals, achievements, money, status, habits, even health, yet so much of that is never fully up to us. For the Stoics, this wasn’t about lowering ambition, but about grounding self-worth in what truly belongs to you: how you think, choose, and act.

Epictetus captures this clearly when he reminds us:
“Some things are up to us and some are not.”
Epictetus, Handbook 1

For the Stoics, this wasn’t about becoming passive, but about becoming precise. When Epictetus writes this, he isn’t telling us to stop striving, but reminding us to stop attaching our peace to results we cannot command. New Year’s intentions become healthier when they focus on the inner work, boundaries, honesty, courage, and daily discipline, rather than a single dramatic change on January 1st.

Here are a few Stoic practices from this episode you can explore in your own life:

• A yearly review of character – Ask, “Did I act well this year?” rather than “Did I win?” Look for progress in patience, integrity, and self-control.

• Set intentions, not fantasies – Replace rigid resolutions with small commitments you can practice daily, even when motivation fades.

• Detach from comparison – Notice the impulse to measure your year against others, and return to what you actually know: your own choices.

• Accept the past, begin again – Let last year be a teacher, not a verdict. Drop regret, take the lesson, and continue.

New Year’s can be a useful mirror, but it doesn’t need to become a courtroom. Stoicism helps you step into the next year with less pressure and more direction, grounded in what you control and softened toward what you don’t. By the end of this episode, you’ll see that Stoicism isn’t a cold philosophy of detachment, but a way of living wisely, steadily, and with quiet confidence, one day at a time.

Listen to the full episode now and discover how New Year’s reflection can transform the way you think, act, and see your life.

Read the companion article: [insert link if available]

Support the show
🌐 viastoica.com🎯 viastoica.com/stoic-life-coaching👤 viastoica.com/benny-voncken▶️ YouTube: @viastoica📧 info@viastoica.com

🎙️ Produced by: badmic.com