5 Stoic Exercises for Managing Anxiety

That familiar tightness in your chest. The racing thoughts that won't slow down. The constant what-ifs that seem to multiply by the minute. If you're one of the millions struggling with anxiety in our modern world, you're not alone. And surprisingly, some of the most effective solutions come from philosophers who lived over 2,000 years ago.

The Stoics weren't just abstract thinkers – they were practical psychologists who developed powerful techniques for managing mental distress. These weren't just theoretical ideas, but actual exercises tested and refined through centuries of human experience. Today, many of their methods align remarkably well with modern cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) techniques.

I discovered these exercises during one of the most anxiety-ridden periods of my life. After a particularly intense panic attack before a crucial presentation, I found myself diving deep into Stoic philosophy, not for intellectual curiosity, but for survival. What I discovered transformed how I handle anxiety – and it might just do the same for you.

Here are five Stoic exercises that you can start using today to manage anxiety and find greater peace of mind. Each one is backed by both ancient wisdom and modern psychological research, and more importantly, each one actually works in the real world.

1. The Morning Premeditatio: Defusing Anxiety Before It Strikes

Every morning, Marcus Aurelius practiced a simple but powerful exercise that modern psychologists might call "defensive pessimism." Instead of avoiding thoughts about what could go wrong (which often makes anxiety worse), he deliberately contemplated potential challenges.

Here's how to practice it:

1. Spend 5 minutes each morning listing potential challenges you might face that day

2. For each challenge, tell yourself: "This might happen, and that's okay."

3. Briefly visualize yourself handling each situation calmly

4. Remind yourself that while you can't control events, you can control your response

Why it works: This exercise helps reduce anxiety by removing the element of surprise from difficult situations. When you've already mentally rehearsed challenges, they lose much of their power to provoke anxiety. As Epictetus said, "It's not things that upset us, but our judgments about things."

Modern application: Before an anxiety-inducing event (like a job interview or important meeting), spend 5 minutes listing everything that could go wrong. But here's the key – don't stop there. For each potential problem, write down one way you could handle it. This transforms vague anxieties into concrete scenarios with specific solutions.

2. The Dichotomy of Control Inventory: Breaking Free from Anxiety's Grip

Epictetus taught that much of our anxiety comes from trying to control things beyond our power while neglecting what we actually can control. This exercise helps you redirect your energy where it can actually make a difference.

How to practice it:

1. Take out a piece of paper and draw a line down the middle

2. On the left, list everything about your current situation that you can't control

3. On the right, list everything you can control, influence, or change

4. Focus your attention and energy exclusively on the right column

For example, if you're anxious about a work presentation:

Cannot Control:

• Whether people like it

• Technical glitches

• Others' schedules

• Last-minute changes

Can Control:

• My preparation

• My response to questions

• My breathing

• My backup plans

Why it works: This exercise helps break the anxiety cycle by redirecting your attention from uncontrollable externals to actionable internals. It transforms helpless worry into productive action.

3. The Stoic Pause: Breaking the Anxiety Spiral

Seneca observed that we suffer more in imagination than in reality. This exercise helps create space between stimulus and response, breaking anxiety's automatic spiral.

The practice:

1. When you notice anxiety rising, pause

2. Take one conscious breath

3. Ask yourself three questions:

   • Is this in my control?

   • Is my response helping or harming me?

   • What's the smallest action I can take right now?

4. Take that small action immediately

Modern application: Use this as an interrupt technique when anxiety starts building. I keep a small note in my phone with these questions and practice them whenever I feel overwhelmed. The key is not to eliminate anxiety (which is impossible), but to respond to it more skillfully.

4. The View From Above: Gaining Perspective on Anxiety

Marcus Aurelius regularly practiced an exercise of imagining himself looking down at his problems from a great height. This cosmic perspective helps reduce anxiety by showing us how small our current troubles really are.

How to practice it:

1. Close your eyes and imagine floating above your current location

2. Gradually expand your view to see your city, country, and planet

3. Notice how your current concerns appear from this perspective

4. Return to the present moment with this broader perspective

Why it works: This exercise helps activate the "zooming out" function of our brains, which research shows can reduce anxiety by engaging our prefrontal cortex and reducing amygdala activation.

5. The Evening Review: Learning from Anxiety

The Stoics ended each day with a review of their actions and responses. This practice helps you learn from anxiety rather than just endure it.

Evening review questions:

1. What made me anxious today?

2. How did I respond to these anxious moments?

3. What worked well in managing my anxiety?

4. What could I have done differently?

5. What lesson can I take forward?

Modern application: Keep a simple anxiety journal. Don't just record what made you anxious – document your responses and their effectiveness. This creates a personal playbook for managing anxiety over time.

Putting It All Together: Your Daily Stoic Anti-Anxiety Practice

The power of these exercises comes not from using them occasionally, but from incorporating them into your daily routine. Here's a simple framework:

Morning: Practice the Premeditatio (5 minutes) Throughout the day: Use the Stoic Pause as needed Evening: Complete the Evening Review (5 minutes) Weekly: Do the Dichotomy of Control Inventory As needed: Practice the View From Above

Remember, the goal isn't to eliminate anxiety completely – even the Stoics acknowledged that as impossible. The goal is to develop a healthier relationship with anxiety, responding to it with wisdom rather than reaction.

A Final Word from the Stoics

As Epictetus reminded us, "It's not what happens to you, but how you respond to it that matters." Anxiety is part of the human experience, but it doesn't have to control your life. These Stoic exercises offer a tested path to greater peace of mind – not through avoiding anxiety, but through meeting it with philosophical resilience.

Start with one exercise that resonates with you. Practice it daily for a week. Notice what changes. As Marcus Aurelius wrote, "Take it minute by minute." That's how lasting change happens – not through grand transformations, but through small, consistent practices.

Your anxiety may be speaking in modern terms, but its underlying patterns are ancient. The Stoics developed these exercises because they faced the same fundamental human challenges we face today. Their wisdom, tested through centuries, offers us a practical path forward.

Remember: You don't have to be a perfect Stoic to benefit from these practices. Start where you are. Use what works. Build your resilience one small practice at a time. The ancient Stoics are standing by as your allies in finding modern peace of mind.