How can I journal this week to deepen gratitude for my closest friends without feeling overly sentimental?

Try a short, structured gratitude entry each day. 1) Name one friend. 2) Write one specific thing they did recently. 3) Add how it made your life easier or lighter. 4) Close with “Thank you for…” (use the prompt: Who do you most want to thank right now?). Link it to Epictetus’s idea that wealth is “having few wants”: notice how friendship meets real needs that possessions can’t. Keep it concrete, brief, and genuine. If you use the Stoic app, open today’s prompt and add a single sentence starter like, “Because of you, I could…” to keep it grounded.

I’m anxious about drifting apart from friends. How do I journal about what I can and can’t control here?

Use a two-column “control” reflection inspired by Ravikant’s line on indifference to what’s outside your control and Seneca’s “Fate leads the willing.” Left column: controllable (reaching out, sharing appreciation, planning a call). Right column: not controllable (their schedule, how fast they reply, life changes). Then write one small willing action for this week, e.g., “Text one open-ended question” or “Suggest a 15‑min catch‑up.” Pair with the prompt “Who do you most want to speak to right now?” and note what you’d like to talk about. End with one sentence acknowledging uncertainty and choosing your next step.

What’s a simple daily practice in Stoic this week to capture why certain friendships feel like family?

Keep a 5‑minute “Friends Like Family” log: - Day 1: Finish “The person who knows me best is…” and add how they came to know you so well. - Day 2: Answer “What makes a friendship close?” with two traits and one story. - Day 3: Noticing prompt: “When your friend’s name appears on your phone, what happens in your body?” Track sensations without judging. - Day 4: “Where would you like to go with your closest friends?” and why that place fits you all. - Day 5: “What have you learned from your best friends?” two lessons. Sprinkle in Epictetus’s “He who laughs at himself…”—record one moment you laughed at yourself with a friend to keep the tone light. Use Stoic’s daily prompts to guide each entry and keep it consistent.

On Friends Like Family

This week, we'll think about our closest people.

Dec 25, 2022 ― Dec 31, 2022

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Frequently Asked Questions

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