# content
The Enchiridion Chapter 1

...if you focus solely on your internal judgments — which no one can take from you — you become invincible. Epictetus claims that if you master this, “no one will ever compel you,” because your happiness no longer depends on things that can be taken away

This sounds good, but where do you get your internal judgements from? And how do we know that they are good and accurate? The first chapter of The Enchiridion answers these questions.

Learning My Judgements

I started learning my judgements by listening to the Enchiridion every day for 30 days straight. After trying other Stoic texts, I settled on The Enchiridion. Chapter 1 was a good place to start, being one of the more easily understood chapters.

I also think I had a head-start from my dad who always insisted that I should not worry about things I could not control. I really believe he is a quiet Stoic.

It Is Just a Word

From there, I learned to pause in the moment. I remember when I stopped being bothered by people calling me the N-word. The first time I paused in the moment, it was if I was having an out-of-body experience. I was able to strip away the emotional baggage attached to that word and accurately see the person who was using that word to try to scare or intimidate me. That experience was very powerful. Even so, dealing with loved ones has its own particular challenges.

There is definitely a higher level of difficulty in applying this to people who are close to me. I must keep my mission as a father and husband uppermost in my mind during these emotionally charged interactions.

I thought that I was having a more difficult time with the emotional baggage of my loved ones (as opposed to strangers) because I wasn't trying hard enough. I was unaware that Stoicism recognizes the difference.

@stoicism@fedigroups.social
#stoicism #life #philosophy

# preview.content
The Enchiridion Chapter 1

...if you focus solely on your internal judgments — which no one can take from you — you become invincible. Epictetus claims that if you master this, “no one will ever compel you,” because your happiness no longer depends on things that can be taken away

This sounds good, but where do you get your internal judgements from? And how do we know that they are good and accurate? The first chapter of The Enchiridion answers these questions.

Learning My Judgements

I started learning my judgements by listening to the Enchiridion every day for 30 days straight. After trying other Stoic texts, I settled on The Enchiridion. Chapter 1 was a good place to start, being one of the more easily understood chapters.

I also think I had a head-start from my dad who always insisted that I should not worry about things I could not control. I really believe he is a quiet Stoic.

It Is Just a Word

From there, I learned to pause in the moment. I remember when I stopped being bothered by people calling me the N-word. The first time I paused in the moment, it was if I was having an out-of-body experience. I was able to strip away the emotional baggage attached to that word and accurately see the person who was using that word to try to scare or intimidate me. That experience was very powerful. Even so, dealing with loved ones has its own particular challenges.

There is definitely a higher level of difficulty in applying this to people who are close to me. I must keep my mission as a father and husband uppermost in my mind during these emotionally charged interactions.

I thought that I was having a more difficult time with the emotional baggage of my loved ones (as opposed to strangers) because I wasn't trying hard enough. I was unaware that Stoicism recognizes the difference.

@stoicism@fedigroups.social
#stoicism #life #philosophy

# preview.summary
Welcome to my personal exploration of The Enchiridion by Epictetus! On a (somewhat) regular basis I will post personal musings and lessons learned as I digest each chapter

# source.content
# The Enchiridion Chapter 1

> ...if you focus solely on your internal judgments — which no one can take from you — you become invincible. Epictetus claims that if you master this, “no one will ever compel you,” because your happiness no longer depends on things that can be taken away

<br/>

This sounds good, but where do you get your internal judgements from? And how do we know that they are good and accurate? The first chapter of The Enchiridion answers these questions.

<br/>

<br/>

## Learning My Judgements

<br/>

I started learning my judgements by listening to the Enchiridion every day for 30 days straight. After trying other Stoic texts, I settled on The Enchiridion. Chapter 1 was a good place to start, being one of the more easily understood chapters.

<br/>

I also think I had a head-start from my dad who always insisted that I should not worry about things I could not control. I really believe he is a quiet Stoic.

<br/>

## It Is Just a Word

From there, I learned to pause in the moment. I remember when I stopped being bothered by people calling me the N-word. The first time I paused in the moment, it was if I was having an out-of-body experience. I was able to strip away the emotional baggage attached to that word and accurately see the person who was using that word to try to scare or intimidate me. That experience was very powerful. Even so, dealing with loved ones has its own particular challenges.

<br/>

<br/>

There is definitely a higher level of difficulty in applying this to people who are close to me. I must keep my mission as a father and husband uppermost in my mind during these emotionally charged interactions.

<br/>

I thought that I was having a more difficult time with the emotional baggage of my loved ones (as opposed to strangers) because I wasn't trying hard enough. I was unaware that Stoicism recognizes the difference.

<br/>

<br/>

[@stoicism@fedigroups.social](https://fedigroups.social/users/stoicism) \
[#stoicism](https://coresignal.podmoodle.nohost.me/hashtag/stoicism) [#life](https://coresignal.podmoodle.nohost.me/hashtag/life) [#philosophy](https://coresignal.podmoodle.nohost.me/hashtag/philosophy)

<br/>

<br/>

<br/>

# summary
Welcome to my personal exploration of The Enchiridion by Epictetus! On a (somewhat) regular basis I will post personal musings and lessons learned as I digest each chapter