STOICSM (PRINCIPLE PHILOSOPHY), FOCUS ON WHAT CAN BE CONTROLLED

 PAPER BLOG

STOICSM (PRINCIPLE PHILOSOPHY), FOCUS ON WHAT CAN BE CONTROLLED

Course lecturer: Ela Welati Amiruddin, S.pd.,M.pd

Prepared by : 

Amanda muslim desela z (24231025)

DAYANU IKHSANUDDIN UNIVERSITY, FACULTY OF TEACHER TRAINING AND EDUCATION, ENGLISH EDUCATION STUDY PROGRAM 

2025/2026

In our daily lives, we often face many situations that we cannot always control. Sometimes, things don’t go the way we expect. The weather suddenly changes, plans get canceled, or people around us act in ways we don’t expect. Situations like these often make us annoyed, angry, or disappointed. However, through the philosophy of Stoicism, I’ve learned something very important: peace doesn’t come from controlling everything around us, but from controlling ourselves.

Stoicism is an ancient philosophy from Greece. It teaches us to focus on what we can control and to remain calm about what we cannot control. For me, this philosophy is not just an idea from the past — it is a life lesson that truly changes the way we see problems. The main message of Stoicism is actually simple but powerful: “We cannot control what happens outside of us, but we can control how we react.”

This message became very meaningful to me because of my personal experience with something very simple — the weather. Last semester, it rained almost every morning in my village. At first, I didn’t really mind it. But after several days, it started to affect my routine. I was often late for class because of the rain. Sometimes, I even felt angry and frustrated. I remember thinking, “Why does it have to rain every single day?”

But one day, while reflecting on Stoicism, I realized something. I couldn’t control the rain. No matter how angry or upset I felt, the weather would not change because of my emotions. The only thing I could control was how I responded to it. So instead of complaining, I decided to take action. I started waking up earlier, checking the weather forecast before going to bed, and always bringing my umbrella with me wherever I went.

This small change truly transformed my mornings. I no longer felt angry or rushed. I became calmer, and even when it rained, I just smiled and said, “It’s okay. I’m ready.” It may sound simple, but it made a big difference in my mood and energy.

Since then, I have truly understood the meaning of Stoicism. This philosophy is not about ignoring problems or pretending that everything is fine. It’s about accepting reality and managing our emotions wisely. When we stop fighting against things we cannot control, we find peace within ourselves.

Stoicism also teaches us that we often waste too much energy trying to change things outside of us — such as other people’s opinions, the weather, the past, or even our failures. But if we redirect that energy toward improving our attitude, habits, and way of thinking, life will feel lighter and happier.

Now, whenever I face a difficult situation, I try to ask myself, “Is this something I can control?” If the answer is no, then I learn to let it go. But if the answer is yes, I focus on what I can do. This way of thinking helps me stay calm even on stressful days.

Conclusion:

Stoicism is not just a philosophy, but a way of life. It reminds us that we cannot control the waves, but we can learn to surf. Life will always bring challenges, but how we face them determines our peace and happiness. I believe that if we learn to focus on what we can control and accept what we cannot, we will discover true strength and calmness within ourselves.