What does it mean to build your identity around alcohol, and who do you become when you walk away from it?

In this personal episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, Benny reflects on six years sober: the slow unraveling of a drinking identity, the moment that changed everything, and how Stoic philosophy helped him find solid ground on the other side.

Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism.This isn't a recovery programme or a how-to guide. It's an honest reflection on self-awareness, learning to see your relationship with alcohol clearly, and asking whether it belongs in the life you actually want to live.

Benny traces his story from heavy social drinking in the Netherlands to a quiet turning point in a Dubai hotel room, and the evening years later when he finally made the decision for good. Along the way, he explores the difference between white-knuckling willpower and building genuine intrinsic motivation, and shares how the Stoic practice of negative visualization became a practical anchor in moments of temptation. Pause. Trace the consequences. Ask yourself honestly if that's a price worth paying.

What he feared most, losing his place in the group, became his greatest gain.

If this story resonates, take a moment to reflect on your own.

Support the show🌐 viastoica.com▶️ YouTube: @viastoicaProduced by: Badmic.com

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Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism as lived experience. What does Stoic philosophy actually look like in daily life? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, I share five Stoic practices I try to use every day, not as a prescription, but as an honest account of what helps me stay grounded.

This episode is an invitation to see what these practices look like when they're imperfect, inconsistent, and genuinely useful.

In this episode we cover:

• The Pause — creating space between what happens and how you respond
• Memento Mori — remembering impermanence as a practice of presence, not fear
• Negative visualisation — preparing for what might go wrong, without spiralling into it
• The discipline of desire — noticing what you're chasing and whether it's actually yours
• The discipline of assent — questioning your first interpretation before acting on it
• Role awareness (bonus) — knowing what a situation asks of you when you're unsure what to do

None of these require you to know Stoic philosophy. What they require is a willingness to make progress. If you've ever wondered how self-awareness becomes a daily habit rather than a concept, this episode is for you.

Support the show🌐 viastoica.com▶️ YouTube: @viastoicaProduced by: Badmic.com

How I Built a Life I'm Grateful For — Via Stoica Podcast

What does it actually take to build a life you're grateful for, and where do you even begin? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, Benny shares his personal journey from a life that no longer felt his own to one built around freedom, simplicity, and a philosophy that holds.

Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. Each episode, we bring Stoic philosophy out of the books and into real life, not as theory, but as a practice for building self-awareness, clarity, and a life that feels genuinely yours.

Change rarely happens all at once. It begins with a moment of honest reckoning, a clear vision of what actually matters, and the willingness to make small, deliberate decisions over time.

In this episode, we trace that process through the lens of Stoic philosophy, from understanding your values and rethinking your relationship with money, to letting go of what doesn't belong to who you want to be. The Stoics remind us that the examined life is not a luxury. It is the starting point for everything.

If you've been waiting for the right moment to start living more intentionally, this episode is an honest account of what that path can look like.

Support the show🌐 viastoica.com▶️ YouTube: @viastoicaProduced by: Badmic.com