You’re still replaying the conversation. Cringing at the email draft. Choking on the “what if…” poison. The mind is a drill stuck in rotten wood. Second-guessing everything isn’t weakness. It’s ego masquerading as wisdom. Is there a way to stop mentally rehashing a choice you made this morning? Yes. I’ll show you—but you’ll need iron, fire, and one sheet of paper.
The Fog You Mistake for Safety
Rehashing decisions: microwaved regret. A feast for cowards. Each mental loop steals 47 minutes of focus. Burns nerve cells. Teaches your brain to associate action with pain. Results? Next time, you hesitate longer. Fail harder. Stoicism isn’t about suppressing emotions. It’s autopsy.
Why Your Mind Replays Mistakes
Fear of being wrong is fear of being human. Marcus Aurelius wrote: “The things you think about determine the quality of your mind.” Obsessing over past choices is mental hoarding. You collect imaginary disasters.
The Brutal Stoic Drill
(Requires: Pen. Paper. 4 Minutes.)
Step 1: Gut the Emotion Like a Fish
“Your soul takes the color of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius
PHYSICAL: Write the emotion (e.g., “SHAME”) in blood-red capitals. Draw an X through it. Rewrite it lowercase (“shame”).
Mental: Ask: “When did I first feel this?” Age eight? Sixteen? Yesterday? Trace roots.
Step 2: Burn the Story You Tell Yourself
“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact.” – Marcus Aurelius
Write the narrative: “I failed because I’m incompetent.”
Now tear the paper. Rebuild facts ONLY: “Sent email at 9:07 AM. Received no reply.”
Highlight data. Incinerate assumptions.
Step 3: Replace the Void with Stone
You’ve stripped the lie. Now fill the space with Stoic code:
– What can I control? (Nothing except current action)
– What did I learn? (Precision over guilt)
– Next right move? (One sentence)
The Antidote:
Regret is fossilized attention.
Dig past the sediment.
Extract the lesson. Bury the corpse. Walk.
The Nightly Fire Ritual
For seven days:
1. Write each rehashed thought on separate paper
2. Ask: “Does this serve Rome?” (Replace “Rome” with your purpose)
3. Burn acceptable answers. Bury the rest.
At dawn: You’ll either have ashes for fertilizer—or a landfill. Choose.