Happy Sunday Friends!

Here is 1 quote I’m musing, 2 Ideas, 3 of my favorite things from the week, and 1 question. If you find it useful or interesting, please feel free to forward this along to some friends or others!

One Quote I’m Musing

“The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing, because an artful life requires being prepared to meet and withstand sudden and unexpected attacks.”

-Marcus Aurelius

Stoicism and the Aftermath of Crisis: Reflections on Hurricane Helene from a Cybersecurity Guy.

As I sit here in Blue Ridge, Georgia, displaced from Augusta after Hurricane Helene, I find myself reflecting on the power of preparation and the right mindset in the midst of chaos. It's one thing to plan for disruption; it's another to live through it. Whether it’s weathering a natural disaster, managing a cyber-attack, or facing unexpected personal or professional challenges, the principles of Stoic philosophy have never been more relevant. In this case, those principles have helped me navigate the hurricane’s aftermath with resilience and composure.

The Importance of Preparation: Premeditatio Malorum

Stoicism teaches us to anticipate adversity. The practice of premeditatio malorum—the premeditation of evils—was one that the Stoics used to prepare for hardships long before they happened. Seneca would mentally rehearse potential setbacks, from financial loss to natural disasters, so that when they arrived, he was mentally prepared.

In many ways, this practice mirrored my approach before the hurricane. Even though I couldn’t predict exactly what would happen, I knew disruption could happen. We’ve relocated enough to know what is necessity and what is nicety, then grab what we need and follow the concept of what we’d planned. My family and I already had a cabin in the mountains and knew our emergency protocols were in place.

When the power went out, it wasn’t a big deal, we’d dealt with that before. It’s like camping. When the tree came down in the back yard, nothing was close enough for catastrophic damage. Now, sitting in Blue Ridge, reflecting on the aftermath, I realize how crucial that preparation was. It’s the same in my role as a cybersecurity guy—disasters, whether natural or digital, will strike, and the only question is whether we’ll be ready.

Keeping Calm Under Pressure: Apatheia and Control of Emotions

When the hurricane hit, the chaos wasn’t immediate, but the impact was. Trees uprooted, homes flooded, streets were left impassable due to downed powerlines, debris, and fallen flora. I got up a little earlier, assessed the property and determined we were in good enough order. Then I put on my uniform and headed towards work.

Every 600 meters I was working hand in hand with people in my community to clear downed trees, I had spotty cellular reception, and I quickly realized I wasn’t getting in when all five of the routes out were blocked by downed powerlines. The city was in black out and it wasn’t going to be quick. Shortly, my office’s communications plans and back up plans began, and we all came to the same conclusion that contingencies would need to begin. I sent Solana a simple text. “Pack up and leave.” We started our plan.

In those moments, emotional control is essential. Stoicism teaches us that while we cannot control external events, we can control how we respond to them. This idea is captured in the concept of apatheia—a calm, rational state free from extreme emotions. It doesn’t mean becoming detached or indifferent but rather maintaining equanimity in the face of crisis.

Marcus Aurelius led an empire through plague, war, and famine. He often asked himself in moments of difficulty, “Why am I troubled?” He reminded himself to focus only on the present and what he could control. His advice: “Do not allow the future to trouble you…you will come to it, if come you must, with the same reason you now apply to the present.”

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, this principle has been a cornerstone of my approach. Worrying about the damage or losses is futile. Instead, I’ve focused on the immediate: What can be salvaged? What steps can we take to restore some normalcy? The same applies in cybersecurity: after an attack, you don’t panic about the breach; you focus on containment, recovery, and learning from the incident.

Crisis as Opportunity: Amor Fati and Rockefeller’s Example

In any crisis, there’s a choice—succumb to fear and chaos, or see the adversity as an opportunity for growth. The Stoics call this mindset amor fati, or “love of fate.” Marcus Aurelius framed it as: "A blazing fire makes flame and brightness out of everything that is thrown into it." The idea is that every hardship is fuel for your own growth and development. Rather than merely enduring a crisis, we can thrive by embracing it as part of the path we’re meant to walk.

Consider John D. Rockefeller, who as a young man faced the Panic of 1857, one of the worst economic crises in history. Rockefeller, like Marcus Aurelius, viewed the chaos as a training ground. He didn’t panic; instead, he learned, saved money, and observed where others failed. This lesson of resilience under pressure stayed with him throughout his life. He embraced each crisis as an opportunity to grow stronger, to sharpen his skills, and to better prepare for the future.

In the wake of Helene... Yes, the damage is real. Yes, the recovery will take time. But within this chaos, there are lessons to be learned, opportunities to rebuild stronger, and moments to reflect on how to better prepare for the next inevitable storm. As a cybersecurity leader, I can approach every situation and failure the same way: What can we learn? How can we build a more resilient system?

Finding Stability in the Unstable: Decatastrophizing and Cognitive Distancing

Another essential Stoic technique is what modern psychologists call “decatastrophizing.” The Stoics knew that our minds tend to magnify our problems, turning them into insurmountable obstacles. Marcus Aurelius reminds us not to let our minds assemble all the past and future worries into one giant mountain but to isolate each issue and deal with it in the present. "What is there in this that is unbearable and beyond endurance?" he asks in Meditations. More often than not, the answer is: nothing.

This mindset proves invaluable. Instead of being overwhelmed by the enormity of the situation—the power outages, property damage, or financial toll— focus on one thing at a time. First, ensure the safety of my family. Next, restore a sense of normalcy. Then, assess the damage. Step by step, problem by problem. It’s no different from responding to a major cyber incident. First, contain the chaos. Then, identify the scope. Implement the fixes. Finally, put the situation up for review, apply the necessary changes and controls and document.

Stoicism provides a mental framework for navigating this type of challenge, allowing us to create cognitive distance between ourselves and the crisis. Changing perspectives to look at the situation in the micro and the macro. By doing so, we gain the mental clarity needed to make sound decisions and avoid being swept away by emotional reactions.

Resilience Training: A Modern Practice Rooted in Ancient Wisdom

Finally, Stoicism teaches us that resilience isn’t built in the moment of crisis; it’s cultivated long before. Seneca often spoke of practicing discomfort as a way to prepare for inevitable hardship. He would leave his comfortable home to spend nights in poverty, wear simple clothes, and eat basic food—all to remind himself that he could endure misfortune. This is resilience training in its purest form.

In the modern world, we engage in resilience training both personally and professionally. In cybersecurity, we run drills, perform penetration tests, and prepare for the worst-case scenario so that when disaster strikes, we’re not caught off guard. Personally, we can do the same by preparing for financial hardships, natural disasters, or personal crises. In the case of Hurricane Helene, the preparation my family and I put in beforehand made the difference between panic and a calm trip for my children to the cabin in the mountains, going apple picking, riding a train, and playing games.

Conclusion: Stoic Lessons for Modern Crises

As the recovery from Helene continues, I am reminded of the timeless wisdom the Stoics offer. From premeditatio malorum (the anticipation of adversity) to amor fati (embracing fate), there is a kind of blueprint for navigating with crises—whether natural disasters, professional setbacks, or personal loss. Their lessons apply just as much to cybersecurity as they do to hurricanes: prepare, remain calm, and see every challenge as an opportunity.

Life will always be unpredictable. Crises, whether in nature or the digital realm, are inevitable. But with the right mindset and preparation, we can endure, overcome, and emerge stronger.

-e

Two Ideas From Me

1. Determine to be stolid without losing your emotions. Allow the turmoil around you to swirl without shaking your core.

2. Struggles reveal your inner resilience. View each difficulty as life’s way of training you for the next big challenge, much like a coach testing your limits.

Three Favorite Things From Others

1. JLAB JBUDS Mini - $30 at Walmart. I picked these up as stand-ins because I couldn’t roll back home during the lockdown period. And they’re great! They aren’t my $400 Noice Canceling monitors, but for the price, they’re functional, sound great and I’m not going to be upset if I wash them accidentally (goodbye my previous buds).

2. “Hope is like a road in the country; there was never a road, but when many people walk on it, the road comes into existence.” | Lu Xun

3. “Don't despair: despair suggests you are in total control and know what is coming. You don't – surrender to events with hope.” | Alain de Botton

One Question

How can you determine the necessities and what are the niceties in your life and how can you categorize them in case you have to choose between them?

Have a wonderful week,

I’ll see you Sunday.
​-e