Prostyle Health & Fitness

Hi all. Hope you’re having a terrific week in the midst of Men’s Health Week. It’s an annual event that receives less than one thousandth the gov and private funding of Women’s Health Week so we need to do a lot of this ourselves. Please visit and follow the Men’s Health Forum for further info. Cheers

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As my old friend Dory would say..... "Just keep Swimming" - - - - - - - - - - - - #dad #dads #dadlife #thedadfather #family #kids #children #dadsofinstagram #parents #parenting #parentlife #dadsofinsta #dadsofig

One of my fave motorcycle vidz to put on in the background. Stunning views and excellent 'soundtrack'. Enjoy.

Yamaha Niken - Highlights 2022 Hallo,Heute ein besonderes Video, nämlich ein Zusammenschnitt diverser Touren und Erlebnisse aus dem vergangenen Jahr 2022 mit meiner Yamaha Niken.Es gibt ei...

Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius’ adopted father and predecessor, was not a Stoic. He didn’t identify as, nor did anyone call him, a philosopher. He left behind no writings. There are no anecdotes of him dropping in on lectures in Greece or studying under some guru.

And yet, of all the people in Marcus’ life, Antoninus was the most Stoic. He was cool under pressure. He quietly went about his business. He was hard-working, self-sufficient, and never got worked up. He was a beloved leader. His mere presence put other people at ease.

As he details in Book 1 of Meditations, Marcus learned how to get the best out of people from Antoninus, how to keep a simple diet, and to serve others. Marcus learned the importance of compassion, self-reliance, taking responsibility, asking questions, surrounding yourself with good people, enjoying things but never overindulging. “Strength, perseverance, self-control,” Marcus writes to close out everything he learned from his step-father, “the mark of a soul in readiness—indomitable.”

Antoninus sounds like quite a person, doesn’t he? Maybe he reminds you of the most Stoic person in your life. A parent, a grandparent, an aunt or uncle or even a great mate, who doesn’t actively study Stoicism. That person who has no idea that the things they say are supported by ancient wisdom. That person who innately always grabs the smooth handle, always gives people the benefit of the doubt, always finds a way to turn an obstacle into an opportunity.

Antoninus, like a lot of parents and grandparents—adopted or biological—was what you might call a lower-case stoic: He didn’t know he was practicing philosophy. He just lived it. Which, as is frequently said, is the best way to teach our kids. It’s what we do. It’s who we are. It’s acts of virtue. It’s what Epictetus said: Don’t talk about your philosophy, embody it. It was this that helped Marcus become Marcus Aurelius. All his life, as one biographer put it, Marcus strived to be like Antoninus, holding him up as “the most beautiful model of a perfect life.”

Leo Tolstoy wrote, “There is nothing more important than an example.” An example, he says, leads “us to do good deeds which would be impossible without this example.” When it comes to parenting, who is providing that example? Who are your teachers? Who do you look up to? Who do you keep in mind to guide you? Who else do you trust to be an example for your own kids?

Hold up that person in your life, today and every day. Do as they do. Don’t just talk about Stoicism, embody it. And of course, don’t forget to express your gratitude to them.

Happy Sunday everyone.

The bamboo that bends in a storm is stronger than a rigid oak. Here on the cusp of a new year let’s continue being like bamboo: patient, strong and flexible.