How to Deepen Your Friendships Part I
Turn casual connections into strong friendships.
Welcome! Many people have advised against turning this publication into more than Stoic Philosophy. But no matter how much I try to see the sense in their counsel, I always find myself getting back to my tendencies and innate interests. It’s hard for my mind to gloss over the weaknesses of Stoicism- which no doubt offers an excellent way to live but is inept at giving us the specific skills necessary to give our lives a more cinnamon texture, joy and longevity given we live life as a whole. I don’t blame my forefathers- they gave us the best they could with the limited information they had. So I’ve taken it as my purpose to further and enhance Stoic Philosophy with what I’ve come to term as the necessary skills to living well, drawing from my experiences as a Medical Doctor, businessman and from my social life - getting deep in each topic with the rigorousness it deserves to help you handle the daily demands of our active lives with more ease. I’ve therefore drawn the intersections of our daily lives and divided this publication into 5 sections namely, the ‘Science-based Health Tools’, ‘Lead to Win’, ‘Wealth Playbook’, ‘Le Monde Élégant’ & the more recent and popular Relationship Series. And for those of you who are interested in financial and time freedom, I have a special treat for you over at Monetize Your Writing, where I teach you how to make a living as a creator. I’ll certainly still be sharing my essays and ideas about Stoicism for I can never veer far from my core in as much as I can run from my shadow. My eccentricity is my superpower, and why this publication has over 156,232 readers as of right now. Always remember I got you, and you can always say ‘hi’ to me here. Let’s get into today’s essay,
“He who regards himself only, and enters upon friendships for this reason, reckons wrongly. The end will be like the beginning: he has made friends with one who might assist him out of bondage; at the first rattle of the chain such a friend will desert him. These are the so-called “fair-weather” friendships; one who is chosen for the sake of utility will be satisfactory only so long as he is useful…He who begins to be your friend because it pays will also cease because it pays.” — Seneca
There were days when my phone didn’t buzz once unless it was a food app alert or a work reminder. I’d leave the hospital and walk home past crowded restaurant patios, watching groups of friends lean in close, laughing in that easy, unthinking way that comes from years of knowing each other. I didn’t…