“Some things are in our control and others not.”
— Epictetus
It sounds simple enough. Of course, some things we can change, and others we can’t. Yet in the rush of daily life, how quickly we forget. We pour precious time and energy into wrestling outcomes that were never ours to command, while the quiet power of our own choices sits untouched, waiting.
For the Stoics, this principle wasn’t a gentle suggestion, it was the foundation of a life lived with grace, clarity, and purpose. And when we pair this ancient wisdom with the subtle, transformative influence of essential oils, it becomes more than philosophy. It becomes practice.
The Hidden Cost of Controlling the Uncontrollable
Imagine your energy, focus, and emotional bandwidth as a jar of golden coins.
Every time you obsess over the weather on your wedding day… You spend a coin.
Every time you replay someone else’s opinion in your head… You spend a coin.
Every time you rage at a headline or political decision… another coin gone.
Soon, the jar is light in your hands, and you realise you’ve traded your vitality for worry without resolution. The cost?
A mind clouded by ‘what ifs’.
A heart too distracted to be present.
A body worn down by emotional fatigue.
“You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength.”
— Marcus Aurelius
The Freedom of Focusing on What You Can Control
Now imagine reclaiming those coins.
Every time you invest in your health, your craft, your relationships, your personal growth, you are strengthening the one arena you truly command — yourself.
This is not passive acceptance. This is active engagement with your sphere of influence.
Problems shrink to their true size. Decisions align with your values, not your fears. The air feels lighter. You feel empowered!
“We suffer more in imagination than in reality.”
— Seneca
The AromaStoic Approach: Choice in Action. Here is where the philosophy becomes tangible. Aroma has a direct line to your brain’s limbic system which is the seat of memory, mood, and motivation. Pairing a Stoic check-in with an essential oil ritual creates a sensory anchor: a gentle yet undeniable reminder to choose your response.
The Empowered Choice Blend
Cypress: Oil of Motion and Flow, helps you release control.
Lemon: Oil of Focus, clears mental fog.
Frankincense: Oil of Truth, grounds and clarifies.
Bergamot: Oil of Self-Acceptance, softens self-judgment.
The Circle of Control Ritual (2–3 minutes)
• Prepare Your Space
– Sit comfortably. Apply your blend to wrists, heart, and neck or simply sit where you can smell it wafting from your diffuser.
• The Release Breath
– Inhale for 4, hold for 2, exhale for 6. With each breath, imagine your ‘can’t control’ thoughts dissolving into mist. Repeat three times.
• Circle of Control Visualisation
– Picture a glowing circle before you. Inside: habits, choices, responses.
Outside: Others’ behaviour, the past, chance outcomes. See the ‘outside’ dissolve and drift away.
• Anchor With an Affirmation
– “I focus on what is mine to change. I release the rest.”
• Seal the Shift
– Open your eyes. Smile. Take one small, empowered action within the next five minutes.
A Real-World Example. You’ve prepared for an important presentation, and the technology fails.
Outside your control: The glitch.
Inside your control: Your composure, adaptability, and delivery.
You pause, inhale your blend, and choose presence over panic. Instead of losing energy to frustration, you direct it into connecting with your audience. Influence over control.
Why Choice Changes Everything
We often think emotions happen to us, but Stoicism reminds us they’re shaped by our perceptions and judgments. When we label a challenge as catastrophic, anxiety follows.
When we see it as manageable, calm rises in its place.
Choice is freedom. It’s the quiet knowledge that, whatever the world sends your way, you have the inner tools to meet it with grace.
Your AromaStoic Reflection
What am I trying to control today that’s beyond my influence?
Where could I redirect my energy right now?
Which oil and affirmation will anchor my decision?
“Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.”
— Epictetus
Your Invitation:
The next time worry tugs at your sleeve, remember, the choice is yours. The tools are within reach. You never walk this path alone.
Click here: https://doterra.me/d8q1-0 to create your Empowered Choice Blend at wholesale prices and receive your FREE AromaStoic Consultation, with unlimited essential oil education and personalised support.
Let’s walk this journey together! Let’s turn philosophy into a daily, lived and empowered experience!
Leonie Featherstsone is a doTERRA Wellness Advocate with 14 years experience in natural wellness solutions. She believes in the transformative power of nature’s gifts and she’s here to guide you on your journey to a healthier, happier you.
