Stoicism has helped me tremendously. One principle I learned from the Stoics was Premeditatio Malorum, or negative visualisation. Instead of imagining what could go right, start imagining what could go wrong.
This practice has helped me to feel grateful and appreciate what I really have right now, while eliminating fear and anxiety about possible worst-case scenarios. Some things I have imagined include going to jail, or ending up homeless. And by visualising these scenarios as if they are actually happening, I’ve reduced my anxiety and fear for the future to almost nothing.
One of the stoics used to imagine being executed by a Roman guard, being put in chains, or being cast into Exile. These practices help so much because they prepare us for life’s curveballs and if a negative event were to happen, it wouldn’t immediately floor us.
Furthermore, negative visualisation and then accepting those situations can reduce anxiety tremendously. Anxiety is worry over fear of the future – and can be eliminated by Premeditatio Malorum. If you are afraid to leave your house, imagine the worst possible scenarios that could happen first, for example, someone could laugh at you. Once you have imagined these, processed your feelings and dealt with the situation, you will feel more confident to leave your house.
Because you have mentally prepared and braced yourself for what you fear may happen, if it happens it won’t come as much as a shock. And you won’t sit fretting and worrying suppose this, suppose that. If you lay out all your supposes on the table and deal with each negative event, you’ll reduce your anxiety tremendously and feel much more confident about leaving the house next time.
Another thing Premeditatio Malorum does is that it is supposed to cultivate gratitude. Happiness for how your life is at the moment. If your life is boring, that’s actually a pretty good sign that things are going well for you right now. The principle helps us to appreciate our current lives and feel grateful for what we have.
In my opinion, negative visualisation is far more useful and powerful than the standard, positive visualisation. For one, most people deal with anxiety to the point that they have to take medication. The principle neutralises anxiety at it’s root and prevents any fear for the future occurring.
Whatever your worries, fears, or concerns are, visualise what you fear most happening – deal with it, accept it, and then if it actually happens, it won’t shock you as much as it would if you hadn’t done this practice. This is one Stoic way to buffer ourselves against the inevitable misfortunes of life.
-Aaron
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