#75 - Stoicism & Wellness: Why Self-Improvement Feels Miserable | Brigid Delaney
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Show Notes
Is the wellness industry replacing religion? And is our obsession with self-improvement actually making us more anxious?
In Episode 75 of The Struggle Podcast, author and journalist Brigid Delaney joins Gregor Thomson to explore Stoicism, ambition, journaling, alcohol, modern anxiety, and what she calls the “freedom fallacy” — the belief that peace and happiness only arrive once we succeed.
We discuss:
• Why Stoicism is misunderstood as emotionless or masculine
• How the wellness industry became a new form of spirituality
• The danger of ambition and hustle culture
• Why moderation beats extreme self-discipline
• Alcohol, connection, and social health
• Journaling as a Stoic practice
• Why freedom and success never feel as good as we expect
• How ancient philosophy applies to modern burnout Brigid explains how Stoicism helped reshape her life after exploring the trillion-dollar wellness industry — and why philosophy should be a “street practice” for everyone, not just academics.
This episode is for anyone struggling with:
• Anxiety and overthinking
• Burnout and ambition
• Self-help overload
• Feeling stuck in the future instead of living now
🎧 Listen if you’re interested in Stoicism, philosophy, psychology, wellness culture, journaling, or living a meaningful life.
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About The Struggle Podcast: The Struggle explores psychology, philosophy, and modern life — honest conversations about ambition, suffering, freedom, and what it really means to live well.
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Seneca – Letters from a Stoic
Brigid Delaney – Reasons Not to Worry, Wellmania, The Seeker and the Sage
Donna Zuckerberg – Not All Dead White Men
David Foster Wallace – This Is Water
Oliver Burkeman – Four Thousand Weeks