The dichotomy of control
The foundational Stoic insight, attributed to Epictetus: some things are within our control (our opinions, desires, actions) and some are not (other people's behaviour, external events, outcomes). Suffering, in the Stoic view, arises primarily from attempting to control what cannot be controlled or neglecting what can. Practical application: when anxious, ask 'Is this within my control?' If not: accept it, adapt to it, and redirect energy to what is.
Negative visualisation (premeditatio malorum)
The practice of deliberately imagining negative outcomes — not to catastrophise but to reduce their power and increase present-moment gratitude. The Stoics believed that imagining loss (of health, relationships, possessions) produces appreciation for what is currently present. Modern psychological research on 'mental contrasting' supports a version of this: imagining obstacles to a goal produces better preparation for them.
The view from above and memento mori
The Stoic 'view from above' (looking down at your life from a great distance) provides perspective on what Marcus Aurelius called the smallness of individual concerns. Memento mori — the reminder of mortality — was used by Stoic practitioners to sharpen appreciation of the present. Neither is morbid in practice; both reduce the emotional weight of minor setbacks and increase presence.
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