How Stoicism Can Help When Life Feels Anxious & Uncertain
A Practical Approach to Anxiety, Control, and Uncertainty
We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.
— Seneca
If you have a beating heart, you’ve likely dealt with anxiety in some form.
Anxiety is a natural part of being human, especially in a modern world that constantly pulls our attention in every direction.
It often shows up when we try to control things that aren’t actually within our control—our future, other people, outcomes we can’t predict.
When that happens, our minds race ahead. We worry about what might happen, replay what already did, and exhaust ourselves trying to gain certainty where none exists.
This is where Stoicism becomes useful.
What Stoicism Actually Is (And Isn’t)
It is not events that disturb people, but their judgments about them.
— Epictetus
Stoicism is often misunderstood as emotional detachment or indifference to life. That’s not what it is.
Stoicism is a practical philosophy built for moments of uncertainty. It was developed to help people navigate fear, loss, and unpredictability without being overwhelmed by them. Not by suppressing emotion, but by learning how to respond to life more deliberately.
At its core, Stoicism teaches a simple but powerful skill: distinguishing between what is within your control and what isn’t.
When that line is clear, anxiety begins to loosen its grip. When it isn’t, suffering tends to multiply.
The Core Stoic Insight That Calms Anxiety: Control
Some things are in our control and others are not.
— Epictetus
At the center of Stoicism is a simple distinction: some things are within our control, and some things aren’t.
This matters because anxiety tends to ignore that line. We try to manage outcomes, predict other people’s behavior, and prepare for every possible future scenario. When we can’t, our nervous system stays on high alert.
The Stoics argued that this is where unnecessary suffering begins. Not because we care too much, but because we invest our energy in places where we have no real influence.
What is within our control is smaller than we often want it to be. But it’s also more stable. Our choices. Our values. How we respond in the moment.
When we place our focus there, anxiety doesn’t vanish, but it starts to lose its intensity.
Stoicism doesn’t ask you to stop caring. It asks you to stop confusing effort with control.
How Stoicism Changes Your Relationship With Anxious Thoughts
As I’ve incorporated Stoicism concepts into my daily life, I’ve realized I’ve been able to have much clearer separation between my thoughts and feelings.
The rumination causes us to ratchet up our anxiety because we are grasping at things outside our control. It’s telling us something is wrong.
What Stoicism invites you to do is to pause and ask yourself what is actually happening.
How to Practice: When you catch yourself ruminating in the moment, ask yourself a simple question:
“Is this within my control right now?”
If your answer is no, loosen your grip. There is nothing you can do.
If your answer is yes, act calmly and deliberately. Take action.
For example: When you’re waiting on a reply to a text, anxiety convinces you that the meaning of the silence is already known, even though the only real fact is that you’re still waiting.
The Stoic response isn’t to force reassurance. It’s to notice that the mind is speculating and not reporting facts.
That shift allows you to create space. The thought can still be there. But it no longer has to dictate your emotional response.
You don’t need to argue with it or suppress it. You simply stop mistaking it for reality.
Practicing Acceptance Without Resignation
Key Stoic Idea: Amor Fati
Meaning: Love reality as it is
One common criticism of acceptance is the fear of becoming passive in life.
“If I accept everything that happens to me, won’t I just let life beat me down and lose control of my own life?”
That’s not what Stoicism is asking of you. It’s still asking you to be the main character in your own story.
What it’s telling you not to do is actively focus on anything outside of your control.
Anxiety feeds on resistance. When we resist the urge to ruminate about things we cannot control, that acceptance creates breathing room.
And our anxiety naturally eases as a result. Your brain can relax. You cannot think your way into outcomes you cannot control.
Stoicism as a Daily Practice
Outside of catching yourself in the moment, how might you put Stoicism into practice daily?
Here are three simple practices that Stoics like Marcus Aurelius incorporated into their daily lives:
Set a Morning Intention: “What in my control today?”
Midday Check-In: “Am I reacting or responding?”
Evening Reflection: “What did I handle well, even if I felt anxious?”
The goal is to build this philosophy of focusing on only what you can control into your daily life. These practices are more like physical training—the effects compound over time.
You’ll find it will help you to change your relationship with the outside world, worrying less and focusing on yourself more.
Stoicism Won’t Cure Anxiety—But It Can Shrink It
Stoicism is a framework for steadiness in any storm. It gives you the mindset and tools for better self-leadership to brave any situation.
Anxiety may still show up, but you don’t have to meet it with panic or resistance.
Have you found Stoicism or another philosophy helpful for your anxiety journey? Let me know in the comments!
This is another helpful article that we can add to our tool set. Thank you!