The Via Stoica Podcast — A Stoic Way of Life

What are your emotions really telling you? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we take a closer look at one of the most misunderstood aspects of Stoic philosophy: the real Stoic view on emotions and what they can teach you about yourself. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. This episode challenges the popular belief that Stoicism is about suppressing emotions and rep...

What does it mean to be both a Stoic and a skeptic? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, philosopher and author Massimo Pigliucci returns to discuss his new book How to Be a (Happy) Skeptic: a guide to building a philosophy of life rooted in Stoic virtue and the ancient art of proportioning belief to evidence. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. Massimo Pigliucci is P...

People pleasing is not kindness. It is fear dressed up as generosity. In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we look honestly at what it means to stop living for other people's approval and start showing up as yourself. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. This episode builds directly on the previous conversation about the scripts we inherit. People pleasing is what happ...

How much of the life you are living was actually chosen by you? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we explore authentic living: the practice of examining the scripts inherited from parents, culture, school, and social media, and deciding for the first time which ones are genuinely yours. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. This episode invites you to look honestly a...

What does it really mean to love your fate? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we look at one of the most used phrases in modern Stoicism, where it actually comes from, and what Stoic philosophy says about acceptance, fate, and how to show up when life does not go as planned. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. Here, philosophy is not something you recite. It is som...

Are you waiting for the right moment to start living your life? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we look at what Stoic philosophy says about responsibility: not the kind the self-help world sells you, but the deeper, more demanding kind. The responsibility for your own soul. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. Here, philosophy is not theory. It is a daily practice...

Who are you beneath the persona you perform for others? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we sit with that question and what Stoic philosophy says about the difference between the character we are building and the mask we wear for the world. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. Here, philosophy is not theory. It is the daily, honest work of examining who you are and...

Everyone talks about letting go. But what about the side that actually demands something of you?  In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we look at what Stoic philosophy really asks of us when it comes to control and why most people stop at the easier half. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. Here, Stoic philosophy isn't a wellness tip or a productivity hack. It&#39...

Do you ever feel like everyone else has it figured out and you're the only one falling behind? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we look at where that feeling really comes from and what Stoic philosophy teaches us about separating a setback from your identity. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. Here, Stoic philosophy isn't theory. It's a practical tool...

Bird poo lands on your brand-new hat. What do you do? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, a small, absurd moment on a walk in Granada becomes a real test of Stoic philosophy, and a lesson in the art of moving on. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. Here, Stoic philosophy isn't studied; it's lived, tested in the ordinary friction of daily life. A bad day is ra...

Why does happiness feel so hard to hold onto? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we explore what happiness actually means and why most of us have been searching for it in the wrong places. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. This episode sits at the heart of what Stoic philosophy has always asked us to examine: not how to feel more, but how to understand what we&#39...

Are you chasing a life that doesn't feel like yours? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we explore what it means to want less, and why that might be the most direct path to living more. Stoic philosophy has always asked this question. Most of us just haven't stopped long enough to hear it. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. This episode sits with something...

Why does life feel so hard, and how much of that difficulty are we actually creating ourselves? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we look at the gap between our desires and reality, and why closing that gap is one of the most practical things Stoic philosophy offers us. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. Each episode explores what it means to live well: not as the...

We need more love in the world. That was the statement, made quietly on a walk along the river in Granada, that stayed with us long after the conversation ended. In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we explore what Stoic philosophy actually says about love, kindness, and where to begin when the world feels like it's moving in the wrong direction. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the po...

Why does Stoicism resonate so deeply when you read it, yet change so little when you try to live it? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we look honestly at why Stoic philosophy stops working for most people, and where self-awareness becomes the real starting point. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. This is not a place for theory at a safe distance. It is a place f...

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 Sto...

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'r...

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 Stoic...

What are you living for? — Via Stoica Podcast What are you actually living for, and have you ever stopped long enough to ask? In this episode of the Via Stoica Podcast, we sit with one of the most important questions a person can face, and explore what Stoic philosophy has to offer when the answer isn't clear. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. Each episode, we bring S...

What is a philosophy of life, and how do you find yours? In this opening episode of the Via Stoica Podcast's Philosophy of Life series, we explore what it means to live with intention, guided by Stoic philosophy and your own values. Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. This series is about building something real, a foundation for how you actually want to live, not the l...

Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, where we explore how Stoic philosophy guides us toward living well with ourselves and others. In this episode, we reflect on Epictetus’ insight on friendship and values: “What a man sets his heart on, that he naturally loves... It remains for us to conclude then that good things alone are what they set their heart on. And if they set their heart on those, they lo...

What Does it Mean to be a Philosopher? Philosophy is often seen as academic or reserved for experts. But what if being a philosopher is something many of us already practice in everyday life? Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. In this episode, we explore philosophy as a way of living rather than a subject to master. Instead of focusing on theory or credentials, the convers...

Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, where we explore how Stoic philosophy helps us remain steady amid the challenges of everyday life. In this episode, we reflect on Marcus Aurelius’ personal reminder from his private notes: “So other people hurt me? That’s their problem. Their character and actions are not mine. What is done to me is ordained by nature. What I do, by my own.” Marcus Aurelius, Medi...

What’s wrong with modern Stoicism? Stoicism is often presented today as a self-help philosophy focused on emotional control, toughness, and handling life alone. But does Stoicism really work when we are grieving, depressed, or emotionally overwhelmed? Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism. In this episode, we reflect on what is missing in modern Stoicism and why it often feels...

Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, where we explore how Stoic philosophy helps us face life’s challenges with steadiness and wisdom. In this episode, we look at Seneca’s reflection from his consolation to Marcia, who was grieving the loss of her son: “What is the need to weep over parts of life? The whole of it calls for tears. Fresh troubles will press upon you before you have done with the old o...