It's What You Do After You Jump That Counts

If you jump when I lunge out of a dark corner and yell “Boo!” does that mean you’re a coward?

If you’re pissed when your puppy shreds a sweater because it can’t tell the difference between clothing and a toy, does that mean you have an anger problem?

Stoics think these initial involuntary emotional reactions — “propatheai,” (proto passions) — don’t mean much. It’s what you do after experiencing them that matters.

My philosophy practice has granted me my only superpower: decreasing the span of time between my initial illogical reaction of anger, fear, anxiety, or whatever, and the time when I diffuse the emotion through reasoning. 

The habit of tearing apart initial impressions to see that they’re mistaken becomes second nature with time. Whether you do it through journaling, talking to yourself out loud or in your head, or reasoning things out with a wise friend, it’s a habit that can radically improve your life.