{"id":12414,"date":"2020-02-29T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-02-29T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/colabstaging.co.uk\/msbackup\/?p=12414"},"modified":"2020-06-28T01:41:26","modified_gmt":"2020-06-28T04:41:26","slug":"stoic-week-2019-report-part-3-impact-of-doing-stoic-week-tim-lebon","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/colabstaging.co.uk\/msbackup\/stoic-week-2019-report-part-3-impact-of-doing-stoic-week-tim-lebon\/","title":{"rendered":"Stoic Week 2019 Report Part 3: Impact of doing Stoic Week Tim LeBon"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hundreds of people across the world completed Stoic Week in October 2019. This report will\u00a0 answer\u00a0 a number of questions about the impact of Stoic Week, including<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Did participants\u2019 well-being<\/em> increase?<\/li>
  2. In what ways do participants benefit?<\/li>
  3. Does a week of Stoicism help reduce anger? <\/em><\/li>
  4. Did participants actually become more Stoic<\/em>\nas a result of doing Stoic Week?<\/li>
  5. Finally, for those who took part in Stoic Week and\nwant to compare their scores – What were the average scores before and after\nStoic Week><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    The main article answers these questions. Detailed statistics\ncan be found in the appendices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    1. Did participants\u2019 well-being<\/em> increase?<\/strong><\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Well-being improved significantly for most people\nwho completed Stoic Week. There was significant improvement in life\nsatisfaction, flourishing and the balance of positive over  negative emotions. The full details can be\nfound in table 1 (Overall Findings<\/strong>\nStoic Week 2019 –  Impact of taking part\nin Stoic Week) in Appendix A. The changes were similar to what has been found\nin previous Stoic Weeks. So we can confidently predict that if you take part in\nStoic Week, your well-being is likely to increase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      2. In what ways do participants benefit?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      A common misconception about  Stoicism is that the aim is to be free of\nemotions. It\u2019s often pointed out by Modern Stoics that this is a myth, Epictetus\n specifically says that we should not<\/em>\nbe free from emotions \u201clike a statue\u201d (Discourse 3.2<\/em>). Seneca says that\n\u201cThe wise man is joyful, happy and calm\u201d (Letter 59 to\nLucilius on Pleasure and Joy<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      But do the results from our questionnaires support Modern\nStoics or their critics? The resounding answer is that the facts back up Modern\nStoics.  Stoics experience bothmore <\/em>positive\nemotions and <\/em>less negative emotions. See tables 2 and 3 in Appendix A\nfor the details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      We also received a lot of qualitative feedback\nabout participants\u2019 experience of Stoic Week. It truly was a rich and rewarding\nexperience for many participants. Here is a sample of the benefits reported<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      • Understanding myself<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
        “Making me think I have thought clearer the past week and have less tension.”<\/td><\/tr>
        “To refresh the Stoic philosophy\u00a0and to bring it to the forefront of my mind again” <\/td><\/tr>
        “Using the daily meditations to actively think about the virtues and how I can apply them to my life. Being able to see my problems and issues for what they really are and not magnify the extent of the problemsIt has been a great opportunity to experiment with philosophy as a way of life, a practical form of wisdom. I have practiced meditation for years, and\u00a0these Stoic spiritual exercises feel both familiar and different. I am grateful for this experience and will continue the practice.” <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
        • Getting more Knowledge about Stoicism<\/em><\/li>
        • I remind myself to distinguish what is in my control from what is not in my control.\u00a0 This has been very helpful with recent difficult events.
          Also I have come to think of happiness as something I do i.e. a result of my actions,\u00a0 rather than as something that happens to me. This also is a very important change of attitude.<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
          “It helps me feel how to become a better person.”<\/td><\/tr>
          “Creating a daily habit around Stoic principles.” <\/td><\/tr>
          “Stepping back from things we have no control over” <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
          • Better decision making, friendlier, more conscious about my thoughts\/thinking<\/em><\/li>
          • I am more mindful of my feelings and thoughts as I am experiencing them. I am also more compassionate towards people who tend to irritate me.<\/em><\/li>
          • Deeper thought and reflection<\/em><\/li>
          • Better control of anger, angst and distress. A better understand of what I want from life<\/em><\/li>
          • Lessening of worry and stress<\/em><\/li>
          • A feeling of joy from out of the blue<\/em><\/li>
          • More feelings of aliveness and happiness<\/em><\/li>
          • Greater contentment with my life<\/em><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            3. Does a week of Stoicism help reduce anger? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Stoics\nwrote in  a particularly insightful and\nrelevant manner  about anger, most\nnotably perhaps Seneca\u2019s On Anger). <\/em>Anger management is also a topic of\nconsiderable interest to contemporary psychologists, since many people –\nand  those around them \u2013 suffer from\nexcessive anger and frustration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            This\nyear, to help discover the relationship of Stoicism and anger, we asked\nparticipants to fill in the ADS-S, a validated measure of anger. So – did being Stoic for a week lead to a significant reduction in\nanger?  The short answer is \u201cYes,\nStoicism reduced anger by 10%\u201d –  see\nTable 4 in Appendix A for the full details. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The ADS-S includes one item of particular interest<\/p>\n\n\n\n

             \u201cWhen I feel angry, I boil inside, do not show it, and keep things in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            This item measures the extent to which people repress anger, perhaps displaying the \u201cstiff upper lip\u201d which some still associate with Stoicism. If Stoicism really did lead to repressing anger, you would have expected this to increase after Stoic week. Instead , this item showed a reduction of 12% Stoicsm does not <\/em>\u00a0lead to repression of anger. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

            4. Did participants actually become more Stoic<\/em> as a result of doing Stoic Week?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            There are sceptics out there who dismiss these\nfindings, asserting that people might have benefited just because they tried something\n<\/em> and not because they were becoming\nmore Stoic. This criticism has carried considerably less weight since we began\nto measure participants\u2019 degree of Stoicism, through the SABS (Stoic Attitudes\nand Beliefs Scale). Not only did the SABS as a whole increase, but every\nsingle item of the SABS (all 60)<\/em> moved in the expected direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The following 6 items showed the biggest change\nafter Stoic Week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n #\n <\/td>\n Item\n <\/td>\n % change\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 48\n <\/td>\n Even\n when I can\u2019t do anything more about a problem I still worry about it a lot.\n (reverse-scored)\n <\/td>\n 24.6\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 3\n <\/td>\n If bad\n things happen to you, you are bound to feel distressed. (reverse-scored)\n <\/td>\n 20.3\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 19\n <\/td>\n I spend\n quite a lot of time dwelling on what has gone wrong in the past.\n (reverse-scored)\n <\/td>\n 17.0\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 33\n <\/td>\n I spend\n quite a lot of time worrying about the future. (reverse-scored)\n <\/td>\n 16.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 23\n <\/td>\n  I cannot really be harmed by what other\n people say.\n <\/td>\n 15.3\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 38\n <\/td>\n When a\n negative thought enters my mind, I remind myself that it is just an\n interpretation of the situation.\n <\/td>\n 15.3\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

            This is a really significant result, since these items\nall relate strongly to good mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            5.What were the average scores before and after Stoic Week? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            If you took part in Stoic Week, then you will have been informed of your\nscores before and after Stoic Week \u2013 by email, if you provided one. So how do\nyou measure compared to other people? The following table tells you all you\nneed to know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n Measure\n <\/td>\n Average score at  start of Stoic Week\n <\/td>\n Average score at end of\n Stoic week\n <\/td><\/tr>
            Life Satisfaction (SWL) <\/td>\n 23\n <\/td>\n 27\n <\/td><\/tr>
            Balance of positive over negative emotions (SPANE) <\/td>\n 5\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td><\/tr>
            Flourishing (Flourish) <\/td>\n 43\n <\/td>\n 47\n <\/td><\/tr>
            Anger (ADS-S) <\/td>\n 34\n <\/td>\n 28.5\n <\/td><\/tr>
            Degree of Stoicism (SABS 5.0) <\/td>\n 300\n <\/td>\n 332\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

            Average scores at the start and end of Stoic Week,\n2019<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Appendices<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

            Appendix A  Impact of doing Stoic Week <\/h1>\n\n\n\n
            \n  \n <\/td>\n Stoic\n Week 2019\n  \n <\/td>\n Stoic\n Week 2018\n <\/td>\n Stoic\n Week \n 2017\n <\/td>\n Stoic\n Week \n 2016\n <\/td>\n Stoic\n Week\n 2015\n <\/td>\n Stoic\n Week 2014\n <\/td><\/tr>
            No of participants at start <\/td> 1725 <\/td> 3702 <\/td>2870 <\/td>1803 <\/td>2503 <\/td>1953 <\/td><\/tr>
            Valid questionnaires completed at end <\/td>\n 416\n <\/td>\n 852\n <\/td>\n 689\n <\/td>\n 270\n <\/td>\n 726\n <\/td>\n 566\n <\/td><\/tr>
            Increase in Flourishing <\/td> 7.5% <\/td>\n 8%\n <\/td> 10% <\/td> 10% <\/td> 10% <\/td> 10% <\/td><\/tr>
            Increase in Satisfaction with Life <\/td>11.5% <\/td> 12% <\/td> 14% <\/td>\n 15%\n <\/td> 15% <\/td> 16% <\/td><\/tr>
            Increase in Positive Emotions <\/td>9.5% <\/td>9.5% <\/td>\n 11%\n <\/td> 10% <\/td> 10% <\/td>\n 11%\n <\/td><\/tr>
            Reduction in Negative Emotions <\/td> 17% <\/td> 14% <\/td> 14% <\/td> 14% <\/td> 14% <\/td> 16% <\/td><\/tr>
            Reduction in Anger (ADS-S) <\/td> 10% <\/td>\n –\n <\/td>\n –\n <\/td>\n –\n <\/td>\n –\n <\/td>\n –\n <\/td><\/tr>
            Increase In Stoic Attitudes and Behaviours <\/td> 8% <\/td>10% <\/td> 9% <\/td> 11% <\/td>13% <\/td> 12% <\/td><\/tr>
            Completion Rate <\/td> 24% <\/td> 23% <\/td> 24% <\/td> 15% <\/td>29% <\/td>29% <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

            Table\n1 Overall Findings Stoic Week 2019 – \nImpact of taking part in Stoic Week<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n Positive\n Emotions<\/strong><\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2019\n % change<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2018\n % change<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2017\n % change<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2016\n % change<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2015\n % change<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2014\n % change<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2013\n % change<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Average positive\n <\/td>\n 9.5\n <\/td>\n 9.5\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Contented\n <\/td>\n 13\n <\/td>\n 14\n <\/td>\n 14\n <\/td>\n 15\n <\/td>\n 14\n <\/td>\n 14\n <\/td>\n 12\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Joyful\n <\/td>\n 12\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n 14\n <\/td>\n 12\n <\/td>\n 13\n <\/td>\n 13\n <\/td>\n 12\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Happy\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n 7\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Good\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td>\n 7\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 7\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Pleasant\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Positive\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td>\n 7\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td>\n 13\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

            Table 2: Impact on Positive Emotions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n Negative  Emotions<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2019 % change<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2018 % change<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2017 %<\/strong>\n change<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2016 %<\/strong>\n change <\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2015 % change<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2014 %<\/strong>\n change<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2013 %<\/strong>\n change<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Average negative\n <\/td>\n -17\n  \n <\/td>\n -14\n <\/td>\n -14\n <\/td>\n -14\n <\/td>\n -14\n <\/td>\n -16\n <\/td>\n -11\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Unpleasant\n <\/td>\n -15\n <\/td>\n -13\n <\/td>\n -15\n <\/td>\n -17\n <\/td>\n -16\n <\/td>\n -17\n <\/td>\n -8\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Bad\n <\/td>\n -17\n <\/td>\n -15\n <\/td>\n -16\n <\/td>\n -12\n <\/td>\n -15\n <\/td>\n -17\n <\/td>\n -11\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Negative\n <\/td>\n -17\n <\/td>\n -15\n <\/td>\n -15\n <\/td>\n -16\n <\/td>\n -14\n <\/td>\n -17\n <\/td>\n -12\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Angry\n <\/td>\n -19\n <\/td>\n -14\n <\/td>\n -12\n <\/td>\n -13\n <\/td>\n -14\n <\/td>\n -15\n <\/td>\n -13\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Afraid\n <\/td>\n -17\n <\/td>\n -13\n <\/td>\n -14\n <\/td>\n -13\n <\/td>\n -12\n <\/td>\n -14\n <\/td>\n -10\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Sad\n <\/td>\n -16\n <\/td>\n -15\n <\/td>\n -13\n <\/td>\n -14\n <\/td>\n -12\n <\/td>\n -14\n <\/td>\n -10\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

            Table 3:  Impact on Negative\nEmotions<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Impact on Anger (ADS-S)<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
            \n  \n <\/td>\n Anger\n overall\n <\/td>\n Anger-In\n Subscale\n <\/td>\n Anger\n Vengeance Subscale\n <\/td>\n Anger\n Reactivity Subscale\n  \n <\/td>\n Anger\n single item question (SPANE)\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n Start\n <\/td>\n 31.7\n <\/td>\n 12.6\n <\/td>\n 6.7\n <\/td>\n 12.4\n <\/td>\n -2.4\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n End\n <\/td>\n 28.5\n <\/td>\n 11.2\n <\/td>\n 6.1\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n -1.9\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n %\n Change\n <\/td>\n 10.3\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n 7.7\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n 19\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

            Table 4: Impact\non Anger<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Impact on\nFlourishing<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
            \n Flourishing\n Scale Item<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2019<\/strong>\n %<\/strong>\n increase\n <\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2018<\/strong>\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2017<\/strong>\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2016<\/strong>\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2015<\/strong>\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2014<\/strong>\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2013<\/strong>\n %<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n Theme<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
            1. I lead a purposeful and meaningful life. <\/td>\n 12<\/strong><\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 12\n <\/td>\n 15\n <\/td>\n 15\n <\/td>\n 16\n <\/td>\n 14\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n Purpose and meaning\n <\/td><\/tr>
            2. My social relationships are supportive and rewarding. <\/td>\n 8<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 13\n <\/td>\n 13\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n Relationships\n <\/td><\/tr>
            3.\u00a0 I am engaged and interested in my daily activities. <\/td>\n 8<\/strong><\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 12\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n Engagement in\n activities\n <\/td><\/tr>
            4. I actively contribute to the happiness and well-being of others. <\/td>\n 7<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 7\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td>\n Benevolent\n <\/td><\/tr>
            5.\u00a0 I am competent and capable in the activities that are important to me <\/td>\n 4<\/strong><\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 6\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td>\n 6\n <\/td>\n 7\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td>\n 5\n <\/td>\n Competent\n <\/td><\/tr>
            6. I am a good person and live a good life. <\/td>\n 6<\/strong><\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 7\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td>\n 8\n <\/td>\n Ethically Good\n <\/td><\/tr>
            7. I am optimistic about my future. <\/td>\n 10<\/strong><\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 12\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n 18\n <\/td>\n Optimism\n <\/td><\/tr>
            8. People respect me. <\/td>\n 5\n <\/td>\n 5\n <\/td>\n 7\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td>\n 7\n <\/td>\n 7\n <\/td>\n 5\n <\/td>\n Respected\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

            Table 5: Impact on Flourishing<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Impact on Satisfaction with Life<\/h1>\n\n\n\n
            \n Percentage Increase\n per question<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2019<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2018<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2017<\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2016  <\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2015 <\/strong>\n  <\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2014 <\/strong>\n <\/td>\n 2013 <\/strong>\n <\/td>\n Theme<\/strong>\n <\/td><\/tr>
            1. In most ways my life is close to my ideal <\/td>\n 12\n <\/td>\n 13\n <\/td>\n 16\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 20\n <\/td>\n 15\n <\/td>\n 18\n <\/td>\n Life is ideal\n <\/td><\/tr>
            2. The conditions of my life are excellent <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n 13\n <\/td>\n 13\n <\/td>\n 15\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n Externals met\n <\/td><\/tr>
            3. So far I have got the important things I want in life. <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 9\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 10\n <\/td>\n 13\n <\/td>\n 13\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n Needs met\n <\/td><\/tr>
            4. I am satisfied with my life <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n 11\n <\/td>\n 14\n <\/td>\n 13\n <\/td>\n 14\n <\/td>\n 15\n <\/td>\n 17\n <\/td>\n Satisfaction\n <\/td><\/tr>
            5. If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing <\/td>\n 17\n <\/td>\n 17\n <\/td>\n 19\n <\/td>\n 24\n <\/td>\n 20\n <\/td>\n 17\n <\/td>\n 17\n <\/td>\n Acceptance\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

            Table 6: Impact on\u00a0 Satisfaction with Life<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            Impact on Stoic\nAttitudes and Behaviours (SABS 5.0)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

             <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
            \n #\n <\/td>\n SABS Item\n <\/td>\n Start\n <\/td>\n end\n <\/td>\n % increase\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 1\n <\/td>\n I think about my life as an ongoing\n project to become a better person.\n <\/td>\n 6.3\n <\/td> 6.6 <\/td>\n 4.0\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 2\n <\/td>\n It can sometimes be a good thing to\n become angry at people.\n <\/td>\n 4.3\n <\/td> 4.6 <\/td>\n 7.0\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 3\n <\/td>\n If bad things happen to you, you are\n bound to feel distressed.\n <\/td>\n 3.6\n <\/td> 4.3 <\/td>\n 20.3\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 4\n <\/td>\n Having good understanding and good\n character is all that is required in order to be happy.\n <\/td>\n 4.8\n <\/td> 5.4 <\/td>\n 14.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 5\n <\/td>\n Viewing other people as\n fellow-members of the brother\/sisterhood of humankind helps me to avoid\n feeling angry and resentful.\n <\/td>\n 5.5\n <\/td> 5.9 <\/td>\n 8.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 6\n <\/td>\n The universe is benevolent in its\n overall plan.\n <\/td>\n 4.2\n <\/td> 4.6 <\/td>\n 8.3\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 7\n <\/td>\n I regularly spend time reflecting on\n what is most important to enable me to live a good and happy\n <\/td>\n 5.5\n <\/td> 5.9 <\/td>\n 8.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 8\n <\/td>\n Bad luck could stop me being happy.\n <\/td>\n 4.4\n <\/td> 5.0 <\/td>\n 11.8\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 9\n <\/td>\n I do the right thing even when I feel\n afraid.\n <\/td>\n 5.2\n <\/td> 5.6 <\/td>\n 9.1\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 10\n <\/td>\n It is my duty to help others.\n <\/td>\n 5.8\n <\/td> 6.0 <\/td>\n 4.8\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 11\n <\/td>\n Sometimes a controlled experience of\n anger can be helpful in resolving conflicts with others\n <\/td>\n 3.6\n <\/td> 3.9 <\/td>\n 7.6\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 12\n <\/td>\n  I usually do the right thing.\n <\/td>\n 5.6\n <\/td> 5.9 <\/td>\n 6.9\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 13\n <\/td>\n I do not act on urges when it would\n be unwise to act on them\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td> 5.4 <\/td>\n 10.5\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 14\n <\/td>\n  I am committed to helping humanity in\n general.\n <\/td>\n 5.6\n <\/td> 5.9 <\/td>\n 5.3\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 15\n <\/td>\n I treat everyone fairly.\n <\/td>\n 5.6\n <\/td> 5.9 <\/td>\n 6.3\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 16\n <\/td>\n To flourish as a human being all you\n need is good character and understanding of what really matters in life\n <\/td>\n 5.4\n <\/td> 5.9 <\/td>\n 10.1\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 17\n <\/td>\n If things don\u2019t go well for my\n friends, I can\u2019t lead a good life.\n <\/td>\n 5.1\n <\/td> 5.3 <\/td>\n 4.6\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 18\n <\/td>\n I take active steps to reduce the\n suffering of others.\n <\/td>\n 5.2\n <\/td> 5.6 <\/td>\n 6.6\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 19\n <\/td>\n I spend quite a lot of time dwelling\n on what has gone wrong in the past.\n <\/td>\n 4.1\n <\/td> 4.8 <\/td>\n 17.0\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 20\n <\/td>\n It is possible to lead a happy life\n even after the death of someone we love.\n <\/td>\n 6.0\n <\/td> 6.2 <\/td>\n 3.3\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 21\n <\/td>\n The universe embodies wisdom.\n <\/td>\n 4.7\n <\/td> 4.9 <\/td>\n 5.8\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 22\n <\/td>\n When making an important decision I\n ask myself \u201cWhat really matters here?\u201d\n <\/td>\n 5.7\n <\/td> 6.1 <\/td>\n 6.6\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 23\n <\/td>\n  I cannot really be harmed by what other\n people say.\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td> 5.6 <\/td>\n 15.3\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 24\n <\/td>\n The universe is a living thing.\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td> 5.1 <\/td>\n 3.3\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 25\n <\/td>\n I need quite a lot of money in order\n to be happy.\n <\/td>\n 5.2\n <\/td> 5.6 <\/td>\n 6.9\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 26\n <\/td>\n When I have a problem, I am good at\n taking constructive action in a timely manner.\n <\/td>\n 5.1\n <\/td> 5.5 <\/td>\n 9.0\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 27\n <\/td>\n We can\u2019t really control other people.\n <\/td>\n 6.2\n <\/td> 6.5 <\/td>\n 4.6\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 28\n <\/td>\n There is a rational and orderly plan\n in the universe and in the causes of events.\n <\/td>\n 3.9\n <\/td> 4.3 <\/td>\n 11.5\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 29\n <\/td>\n When making a significant decision I\n reflect on what a good role model would do.\n <\/td>\n 4.8\n <\/td> 5.5 <\/td>\n 12.8\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 30\n <\/td>\n Nothing except our judgements and\n voluntary actions are truly under our control in life.\n <\/td>\n 6.1\n <\/td> 6.4 <\/td>\n 4.8\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 31\n <\/td>\n I pay attention to my judgements\n about good or bad things or people as I am making them.\n <\/td>\n 5.3\n <\/td> 5.8 <\/td>\n 9.4\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 32\n <\/td>\n  I need to be well thought of by others in\n order to be happy.\n <\/td>\n 4.5\n <\/td> 5.0 <\/td>\n 12.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 33\n <\/td>\n I spend quite a lot of time worrying\n about the future.\n <\/td>\n 3.8\n <\/td> 4.4 <\/td>\n 16.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 34\n <\/td>\n It is good to think about life as an\n ongoing journey towards becoming a better person.\n <\/td>\n 6.3\n <\/td> 6.6 <\/td>\n 3.4\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 35\n <\/td>\n I am committed to helping my friends.\n <\/td>\n 5.8\n <\/td> 6.1 <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 36\n <\/td>\n I \n pay attention to my thoughts about what I intend to do  before I act on them.\n <\/td>\n 5.4\n <\/td> 5.8 <\/td>\n 6.8\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 37\n <\/td>\n I want to become a better person\n ethically.\n <\/td>\n 6.4\n <\/td> 6.6 <\/td>\n 3.1\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 38\n <\/td>\n When a negative thought enters my\n mind, I remind myself that it is just an interpretation of the situation.\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td> 5.7 <\/td>\n 15.3\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 39\n <\/td>\n It is right to feel intense and\n overwhelming grief after a significant loss\n <\/td>\n 2.7\n <\/td> 3.0 <\/td>\n 13.4\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 40\n <\/td>\n I view other people as fellow-members\n of the brother\/sisterhood of humankind.\n <\/td>\n 5.6\n <\/td> 5.9 <\/td>\n 5.7\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 41\n <\/td>\n If things don\u2019t go well for me, I\n can\u2019t lead a good life.\n <\/td>\n 5.0\n <\/td> 5.4 <\/td>\n 8.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 42\n <\/td>\n I can\u2019t control how I feel.\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td> 5.4 <\/td>\n 10.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 43\n <\/td>\n I need to be in good health in order\n to be happy.\n <\/td>\n 4.1\n <\/td> 4.7 <\/td>\n 14.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 44\n <\/td>\n I am committed to helping my family.\n <\/td>\n 6.1\n <\/td> 6.3 <\/td>\n 2.7\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 45\n <\/td>\n Every day I spend some time thinking\n about how I can best face challenges in the day ahead.\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td> 5.6 <\/td>\n 13.8\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 46\n <\/td>\n Our voluntary actions are among the\n only things truly under our control in life.\n <\/td>\n 6.0\n <\/td> 6.3 <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 47\n <\/td>\n As long as you have the right\n attitude, you can lead a good life even in the most difficult circumstances.\n <\/td>\n 5.9\n <\/td> 6.2 <\/td>\n 5.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 48\n <\/td>\n Even when I can\u2019t do anything more\n about a problem I still worry about it a lot.\n <\/td>\n 3.5\n <\/td> 4.4 <\/td>\n 24.6\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 49\n <\/td>\n I care about the suffering of others\n <\/td>\n 5.9\n <\/td> 6.0 <\/td>\n 2.9\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 50\n <\/td>\n I often do what I feel like doing\n rather than doing what I believe to be the right thing.\n <\/td>\n 4.6\n <\/td> 5.1 <\/td>\n 11.5\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 51\n <\/td>\n Our judgements are amongst the only\n things truly under our control in life.\n <\/td>\n 5.8\n <\/td> 6.2 <\/td>\n 7.5\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 52\n <\/td>\n I see my happiness as fully compatible\n with caring for other people.\n <\/td>\n 5.6\n <\/td> 6.0 <\/td>\n 8.1\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 53\n <\/td>\n The best idea is to give up trying to\n control people and instead focus on our own actions and our judgements and\n character.\n <\/td>\n 6.4\n <\/td> 6.6 <\/td>\n 3.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 54\n <\/td>\n There is no overall plan to the\n universe.\n <\/td>\n 3.6\n <\/td> 4.0 <\/td>\n 10.7\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 55\n <\/td>\n I think about what the ideal wise and\n good person would do when faced with misfortunes in life.\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td> 5.5 <\/td>\n 13.4\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 56\n <\/td>\n If things don\u2019t go well for my\n family, I can\u2019t lead a good life.\n <\/td>\n 4.7\n <\/td> 5.0 <\/td>\n 7.4\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 57\n <\/td>\n I am committed to helping in my local\n community.\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td> 5.4 <\/td>\n 10.8\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 58\n <\/td>\n It does not help me to get angry\n <\/td>\n 6.0\n <\/td> 6.2 <\/td>\n 4.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 59\n <\/td>\n it is possible to lead a happy life\n even when we have lost success or wealth.\n <\/td>\n 5.8\n <\/td> 6.1 <\/td>\n 5.8\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 60\n <\/td>\n We can sometimes influence how others\n behave, but we can\u2019t completely control other people.\n <\/td>\n 6.4\n <\/td> 6.4 <\/td>\n 0.9\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

             <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

            Table 7: Impact of taking part \nin Stoic Week 2019 on Stoic attitudes and behaviours <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            The\nSABS items that showed the biggest percentage increases  during Stoic Week were as follows<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n #\n <\/td>\n Item\n <\/td>\n % change\n <\/td>\n Start\n <\/td>\n End\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 48\n <\/td>\n Even when I can\u2019t do anything more\n about a problem I still worry about it a lot.\n <\/td>\n 24.6\n <\/td>\n 3.5\n <\/td>\n 4.4\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 3\n <\/td>\n If bad things happen to you, you are\n bound to feel distressed.\n <\/td>\n 20.3\n <\/td>\n 3.6\n <\/td>\n 4.3\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 19\n <\/td>\n I spend quite a lot of time dwelling\n on what has gone wrong in the past.\n <\/td>\n 17.0\n <\/td>\n 4.1\n <\/td>\n 4.8\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 33\n <\/td>\n I spend quite a lot of time worrying\n about the future.\n <\/td>\n 16.2\n <\/td>\n 3.8\n <\/td>\n 4.4\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 23\n <\/td>\n  I cannot really be harmed by what other\n people say.\n <\/td>\n 15.3\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td>\n 5.6\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 38\n <\/td>\n When a negative thought enters my\n mind, I remind myself that it is just an interpretation of the situation.\n <\/td>\n 15.3\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td>\n 5.7\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 43\n <\/td>\n I need to be in good health in order\n to be happy.\n <\/td>\n 14.2\n <\/td>\n 4.1\n <\/td>\n 4.7\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 4\n <\/td>\n Having good understanding and good\n character is all that is required in order to be happy.\n <\/td>\n 14.2\n <\/td>\n 4.8\n <\/td>\n 5.4\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 45\n <\/td>\n Every day I spend some time thinking\n about how I can best face challenges in the day ahead.\n <\/td>\n 13.8\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td>\n 5.6\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 39\n <\/td>\n It is right to feel intense and\n overwhelming grief after a significant loss\n <\/td>\n 13.4\n <\/td>\n 2.7\n <\/td>\n 3.0\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 55\n <\/td>\n I think about what the ideal wise and\n good person would do when faced with misfortunes in life.\n <\/td>\n 13.4\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td>\n 5.5\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 29\n <\/td>\n When making a significant decision I\n reflect on what a good role model would do.\n <\/td>\n 12.8\n <\/td>\n 4.8\n <\/td>\n 5.5\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 32\n <\/td>\n  I need to be well thought of by others in\n order to be happy.\n <\/td>\n 12.2\n <\/td>\n 4.5\n <\/td>\n 5.0\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 8\n <\/td>\n Bad luck could stop me being happy.\n <\/td>\n 11.8\n <\/td>\n 4.4\n <\/td>\n 5.0\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 50\n <\/td>\n I often do what I feel like doing\n rather than doing what I believe to be the right thing.\n <\/td>\n 11.5\n <\/td>\n 4.6\n <\/td>\n 5.1\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 28\n <\/td>\n There is a rational and orderly plan\n in the universe and in the causes of events.\n <\/td>\n 11.5\n <\/td>\n 3.9\n <\/td>\n 4.3\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 57\n <\/td>\n I am committed to helping in my local\n community.\n <\/td>\n 10.8\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td>\n 5.4\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 54\n <\/td>\n There is no overall plan to the\n universe.\n <\/td>\n 10.7\n <\/td>\n 3.6\n <\/td>\n 4.0\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 13\n <\/td>\n I do not act on urges when it would\n be unwise to act on them\n <\/td>\n 10.5\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td>\n 5.4\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 42\n <\/td>\n I can\u2019t control how I feel.\n <\/td>\n 10.2\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td>\n 5.4\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 16\n <\/td>\n To flourish as a human being all you\n need is good character and understanding of what really matters in life\n <\/td>\n 10.1\n <\/td>\n 5.4\n <\/td>\n 5.9\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

            The\nSABS items which had the highest scores at the end of Stoic week were as\nfollows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n #\n <\/td>\n Item\n <\/td>\n After\n <\/td>\n Before\n <\/td>\n % increase\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 37\n <\/td>\n I want to become a better person\n ethically.\n <\/td>\n 6.6\n <\/td>\n 6.4\n <\/td>\n 3.1\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 53\n <\/td>\n The best idea is to give up trying to\n control people and instead focus on our own actions and our judgements and\n character.\n <\/td>\n 6.6\n <\/td>\n 6.4\n <\/td>\n 3.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 1\n <\/td>\n I think about my life as an ongoing\n project to become a better person.\n <\/td>\n 6.6\n <\/td>\n 6.3\n <\/td>\n 4.0\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 34\n <\/td>\n It is good to think about life as an\n ongoing journey towards becoming a better person.\n <\/td>\n 6.6\n <\/td>\n 6.3\n <\/td>\n 3.4\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 27\n <\/td>\n We can\u2019t really control other people.\n <\/td>\n 6.5\n <\/td>\n 6.2\n <\/td>\n 4.6\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 60\n <\/td>\n We can sometimes influence how others\n behave, but we can\u2019t completely control other people.\n <\/td>\n 6.4\n <\/td>\n 6.4\n <\/td>\n 0.9\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 30\n <\/td>\n Nothing except our judgements and\n voluntary actions are truly under our control in life.\n <\/td>\n 6.4\n <\/td>\n 6.1\n <\/td>\n 4.8\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 46\n <\/td>\n Our voluntary actions are among the\n only things truly under our control in life.\n <\/td>\n 6.3\n <\/td>\n 6.0\n <\/td>\n 4.9\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 44\n <\/td>\n I am committed to helping my family.\n <\/td>\n 6.3\n <\/td>\n 6.1\n <\/td>\n 2.7\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 51\n <\/td>\n Our judgements are amongst the only\n things truly under our control in life.\n <\/td>\n 6.2\n <\/td>\n 5.8\n <\/td>\n 7.5\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 58\n <\/td>\n It does not help me to get angry\n <\/td>\n 6.2\n <\/td>\n 6.0\n <\/td>\n 4.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 47\n <\/td>\n As long as you have the right\n attitude, you can lead a good life even in the most difficult circumstances.\n <\/td>\n 6.2\n <\/td>\n 5.9\n <\/td>\n 5.2\n <\/td><\/tr>
            \n 20\n <\/td>\n It is possible to lead a happy life\n even after the death of someone we love.\n <\/td>\n 6.2\n <\/td>\n 6.0\n <\/td>\n 3.3\n <\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

            Tim LeBon<\/strong>\u00a0is the author of\u00a0<\/em>Wise Therapy\u00a0and\u00a0<\/em>Achieve Your Potential with Positive Psychology.\u00a0He is a philosophical life coach with a private practice in London and also an accredited CBT psychotherapist working in the NHS. He is a founder member of the Modern Stoicism team.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

            Hundreds of people across the world completed Stoic Week in October 2019. This report will\u00a0 answer\u00a0 a number of questions about the impact of Stoic Week, including Did participants\u2019 well-being increase? In what ways do participants benefit? Does a week of Stoicism help reduce anger? Did participants actually become more Stoic as a result of … Continue reading “Stoic Week 2019 Report Part 3: Impact of doing Stoic Week Tim LeBon”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8636,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[149,12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12414","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-research","category-stoicism"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/colabstaging.co.uk\/msbackup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12414","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/colabstaging.co.uk\/msbackup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/colabstaging.co.uk\/msbackup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/colabstaging.co.uk\/msbackup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8636"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/colabstaging.co.uk\/msbackup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12414"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/colabstaging.co.uk\/msbackup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12414\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12654,"href":"https:\/\/colabstaging.co.uk\/msbackup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12414\/revisions\/12654"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/colabstaging.co.uk\/msbackup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12414"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/colabstaging.co.uk\/msbackup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12414"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/colabstaging.co.uk\/msbackup\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12414"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}