You're listening to the Stoic Solutions Podcast - practical wisdom for everyday life.

I'm Justin Vacula and this is episode 49 titled 'Podcast and Personal Updates'

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Visit my website at stoicsolutionspodcast.com where you can connect with me on social media and
listen to past episodes. Support my work by becoming a donor through Patreon or Paypal to access
special rewards including the ability to have upcoming guests answer your questions, request custom
podcast episodes, have group conversations with me and podcast listeners, and one-on-one discussions.
Share, comment, like, subscribe, and leave reviews to help support my efforts and keep this project
going. Email me with your thoughts – justinvacula at gmail.com.

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It's now been about a year since I began producing Stoic Philosophy content starting with unedited,
uinscripted videos on my YouTube channel; hosting in-person discussion groups; and later releasing
more polished edited and scripted podcast episodes like you're hearing today. I've experienced a good
degree of success with this podcast and sharing Stoicism measured by feedback from listeners,
interventions I use in working with elementary school students, and support from guests who have
appeared on my podcast. A special thanks goes out to Kai Whiting who has provided a good deal of
support since he appeared on my podcast.

I recently hired a graphic designer to create new channel art and have rebranded as the Stoic Solutions
Podcast also with a new url at stoicsolutionspodcast.com, Twitter account @StoicSolutionsPodcast, and
Facebook page Stoic Solutions Podcast. See more in the show notes.

Through many episodes, I've offered feedback on many struggles people face including loneliness,
coping with negative emotions, suicidal thoughts, grief, and guilt. I've found myself offering solutions
or at least ways to better tackle lingering concerns and thus seek to specialize this solution-focused
approach and have a unique identity amidst a field of Philosophy podcasts rather than having a more
general name.

The new image for the podcast includes Greek and Roman imagery reflecting the origins of Stoicism in
the ancient world and pips or dots found on a six-sided die echoing one of my favorite Stoic passages
from Epictetus in which he talks about imitating those who play at dice.

Games have been a major part of my life from an early age starting with console and handheld games
from Super Nintendo, Playstation, and Game Boy expanding to board and card games like Hearts and
Chess, computer games like World of Warcraft, tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons, and poker
which has had a significant impact on my life.

Games inspire me to problem-solve, find solutions to difficult problems, question my approach, and
have courage in the face of adversity. For more on the benefits of games, specificially Dungeons and
Dragons, see episode 38 in which I talk with Dave Guererri about D&D and the Greyhawk Reborn
campaign here in the Eastern United States.

Epictetus, as I mentioned, along with other stoic writers, compare games with life reflecting on
elements of chance or fortune and how we should approach life through a process-focused lens rather
than focusing so much on results – things largely outside of our control. We can make the best efforts,
have a measured method, make all the right decisions, but still can come up short. Stoicism teaches us
to lower expectations, not have an attitude of entitlement, embrace an attitude of gratitude, and practice
acceptance. We're to realize what is inside and outside our control and have a healthy, reasoned mindset
about the world not relying on what many call luck to favor us considering the ups and downs of life,
the fickleness of fortune as Seneca talks about in his moral letters to Lucillius.

Here's the passage from Epictetus which informs my new podcast art:

How is one to maintain a constant and tranquil mind and the careful spirit which is not random or
hasty?
You can do it if you imitate those who play dice. Counters and dice are indifferent: how do I know
what is going to turn up? My business is to use what does turn up with diligence and skill.

We're often forced to play the hand we're dealt in life, work with the materials we have, weather the
ebbing tides of chance, and not be drowned by the storms which can surround us. Stoicism teaches
resilence, how to overcome and benefit from adversity. We adjust to the present the best we can, not
overly fear the future, and work to preserve an inner calm. Listen to episode 44, 'Hold on to a Fraction
of your sanity' for more on resilience and overcoming adversity.

I will continue creating new content aiming for one new episode a week. Each episode takes about four
hours to produce – it's a process of writing, finding quotes from Stoic writers to supplement my
material, editing, recording, more editing, production, upoloading files, and sharing content. Episodes
with guests take even more time – especially in the editing phase – and usually have a final file of
about an hour compared to episodes without guests which range from ten to fifteen minutes.

It's lots of effort to create episodes, but I don't want to engage in what Seneca laments as futile halfway
measures. It's a way of sharing what I have learned to help others and giving back to the Stoic
community which has helped me. I'm also regularly posting content on Facebook, listening to other
content creators, reading about Stoicism, and collaborating with others to help improve my content. I
plan to post another essay to ModernStoicism.com, the second to date, following my earlier piece titled
Stoicism and Suicide. More should follow.

As mentioned in the podcast intro, I have several rewards for listeners who would like to donate to
support my efforts through Patreon or Paypal. Supporters can receive advance notifications of podcast
guests and the opportunity to have your questions included in my conversations with people from many
walks of life. Here's a recap of some podcast guests:

In episode 12, I spoke with Philosophy Professor William Irwin about Stoicism and Existentialism.
Episode 14 featured Philosophy professor David Kyle Johnson who spoke about the benefits of
Philosophy. Author and filmmaker Kenny Luck joined me to talk about his book Thumbing Through
Thoreau for episode 15. Philosopher and fellow Stoic content producer Gregory Sadler joined me for
discussion about Stoicism and anger in episode 18. Philosophy professor Regan Lance Reitsma joined
me to talk about humility in episode 26. Episode 28 included American Muslim Tim Maloney who
talked about Islam and community activism. Lew Hastings of the Red Road Radio show joined me to
talk about Native American Culture in episode 33. Most recently, researcher Kai Whiting, previously
mentioned, joined me for discussion of his new paper on Stoicism and Sustainability on episode 48.
I'll be including more guest discussions in future episodes. At a donation level of just $5 a month, your
questions can be answered by engaging guests.

I'm also offering custom-tailored podcasts for supporters at the $10 level which allows you to decide
content I'll include in a podcast episode specific to a concern or question you'd like me to consider – the
possibilities are numerous. I'll offer Stoic solutions to a topic of your choosing whether it's personal, a
current event, or any subject you'd like me to weigh in on.

At the $20 level, you'll have the opportunity for a more interactive discussion with me and other
listeners of the podcast about topics of your choosing. Finally, at the $40 level, we can have a private
one-on-one discussion about whatever you'd like to talk about. I can bring my familarity with Stoicism
and general life experience to help you in your journey. Thanks for supporting my efforts!

Life's pretty good right now. I'm busy working on my Master's level Mental Health Counseling degree
consisting of weekly supervision meetings and time spent as a counselor intern in training alongisde
elementary school students in a school-based behavioral health program. I have the wonderful
opportunity to share Stoic wisdom with students in my counseling approach. I'm also playing poker,
managing a local philosophical group, exercising, and volunteering with the website and media team
for the D&D group I mentioned. I'm balancing work with leisure adding some weekly travel, PC
gaming, and socializing.

Thanks for listening and supporting my work. Stay tuned for more content.

____

Visit my website at stoicsolutionspodcast.com where you can connect with me on social media and
listen to past episodes. Support my work by becoming a donor through Patreon or Paypal to access
special rewards including the ability to have upcoming guests answer your questions, request custom
podcast episodes, have group conversations with me and podcast listeners, and one-on-one discussions.
Share, comment, like, subscribe, and leave reviews to help support my efforts and keep this project
going. Email me with your thoughts – justinvacula at gmail.com.

Podcast music, used with permission, is brought to you by Phil Giordana's symphonic metal group
Fairyland - the song titled 'Master of the Waves' is from their album 'Score to a New Beginning.' Find
more information in the show notes.