Stoicism is an ancient Greek philosophy, founded in the 3rd century BC and made famous by its Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius. Stoicism has undergone a renaissance in the last several decades, and many individuals are intrigued about what it has to offer about living the good life.
While I have long been a fan of many of the great Stoic principles and tools for living, one of my main criticisms of Stoicism has been its lack of emphasis on positive emotions and joyful living.
As I dug deeper into Stoicism, however, I found that it in fact provides great insights into emotions like joy. Specifically, Stoicism teaches that the key to a flourishing life lies in living in accordance with nature and developing rational control over one’s responses to external events. This provides a foundation for eliminating or reducing negative emotions which often rob us of joy.
I believe these three Stoic principles in particular will lead to optimizing the joy in our lives:
- Tranquility and inner peace lead to joy. Stoicism emphasizes tranquility and inner peace by cultivating an inner state of calmness. To describe this mental state, the Greek philosophers used a word, “euthymia,” which means calm confidence or energized tranquility. The Stoics believed that true joy is an inside game, that it comes from within, and that is not dependent on external events or possessions.
- Virtue as the highest good in life. Stoics argued that virtue, or moral excellence, is the highest good in life. Living a virtuous life is the best path to true happiness and joy. Virtues such as love, wisdom, kindness, courage, justice, and temperance are all considered to be essential for a joyful, flourishing life. If you want joy in your life, be virtuous.
- Detachment from external events. A fundamental principle of Stoicism is to focus on what is within our control and to accept with equanimity what is beyond our control. We can increase the joy in our life, according to Stoicism, by accepting external events with indifference and not allowing them to disturb our inner tranquility.
On of the most famous Stoic authors, Seneca, wrote extensively on the theme of joy. He suggested that joy is a byproduct of a virtuous life, and that true joy is found in the pursuit of virtue. Seneca also emphasized the importance of gratitude in the present moment. Interestingly, the modern positive psychology movement has scientifically corroborated that happiness and joy are highly correlated with gratitude.
In short, Stoic joy is not an oxymoron. Rather, Stoicism provides excellent guidance into how to live a joyful life. Start increasing the joy in your own life by developing an internal state of tranquility and contentment, living a virtuous life, and peacefully accepting those things outside of your external control.