New Delhi, April 2 -- Life rarely goes as planned. We face setbacks, uncertainty and moments that feel completely out of our hands. It's easy to feel overwhelmed. But what if navigating all this with calm and clarity was possible?

The ancient Stoic philosopher Epictetus offers a simple but powerful framework: focus only on what you can control.

Let's start with a quote that captures this mindset:

"We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak."

Epictetus (c. 50-135 AD) was one of the most influential Stoic thinkers. Born a slave in Hierapolis (modern-day Turkey), he later gained his freedom and studied philosophy under Musonius Rufus.

He went on to teach in Rome before being exiled by Emperor Domitian...