Vegas Stoics July Meetup

Monthly meetup for the Vegas Stoics group. July's discussion will focus on the following passage:

"The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually make. Where, then, do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself, to the choices that are my own..." -Epictetus, Discourses

Questions for discussion:

• What are some common "externals not under our control" that we often spend too much time worrying about? (e.g., traffic, others' opinions, the economy, past mistakes, future uncertainty)
• How does truly accepting the "dichotomy of control" change your emotional response to difficult situations?
• Can you share an example from your life where you effectively applied this principle and focused on your "choices that are your own" rather than uncontrollable externals?
• How does distinguishing between internal and external help us to cultivate virtues like tranquility, resilience, and wisdom in everyday life?