Epictetus: You would rage if a stranger handed your body…

Your attention is a limited resource, and many things compete to take it. A headline, a notification, an argument online, or another person's careless mood can occupy your thoughts long after it has earned that privilege. The Stoic point is not to hide from the world. It is to decide what deserves entry into your inner life. Today, create one small boundary for your attention. Put the phone away during a meal, take a walk without audio, or finish a focused task before checking messages. When a provocative remark appears, ask whether responding will serve your values or merely extend its hold on you. You cannot control every interruption, but you can choose whether to keep feeding it. Guarding the mind is an everyday form of self-respect.