In life, it's vital to balance action, mindset, and spirituality. When it comes to preparedness and survival, I try my best to keep visiting between these three essentials constantly, for myself and also in my guidance work and writings. I find Stoicism to be particularly helpful.

Action and mindset can be pragmatic, functional. But spiritual matters are more intimate, more personal. One can find whatever one's looking for – strength, faith, determination, inspiration, solace – in religion, philosophy, and other practices, even physical ones. The beauty is that these aren't mutually exclusive. In fact, they can complement each other.

This time, I'll talk about philosophy. It can be a code of conduct, a practical and actionable guide for a better life. In that sense, it shares that ancient, profound, powerful wisdom and higher aspirations of most, if not all, religions. Just as well it can also prove helpful, particularly during hard times such as what we're going through in much of the Western world.

People may roll their eyes and deem "philosophy" overly theoretical, academic, or too distant from their reality. However, men and women of action have been using philosophy throughout history and to this day to overcome obstacles and achieve personal growth and victories in all areas of life: relationships, careers, business, adventures, courts, and battlefields. So why not in preparedness and survival?

What is Stoicism?

Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded in Athens, Greece, by Zeno of Citium in the early 3rd century BC. The most well-known practitioners and promoters are Epictetus, Cato, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius, considered one of Rome's wisest emperors.