World strife, the resurgence of terrorism, the Ebola epidemic, extreme weather, a struggling US economy, massive changes in health care, new demands on nurses to embrace technology, do more with less, and work harder and smarter-all characterize the year 2014. There were also the personal losses and setbacks, difficulties at home and at work, significant life changes such as job changes, family caregiving responsibilities, and financial setbacks. To balance the negatives, there were joyous times and experiences; a promotion at work, a new relationship, a baby on the way, the companionship of good friends, or the earning of a degree.
The first time I heard about Epictetus was in the university coffee shop where I had breakfast with a group of faculty early each morning before the start of classes. We were discussing a new course that I was teaching on "holistic nursing principles." My description of the principles of holistic care prompted many questions, especially from one of the philosophy faculty who asked if I had ever heard of Epictetus and "stoicism."1 I had not. He explained that all of the principles of holism that I had described originated in the everyday philosophy of Epictetus, who developed a philosophy for ordinary people on the art of living the virtuous life.
I don't know about virtuous; sainthood has never been an aspiration of mine. Like you, I am trying to get through each day happily and unscathed. My curiosity got the best of me and I began exploring the stoic philosopher. The principles outlined in Epictetus' Enchiridion were strikingly similar to the "holistic principles" that I was teaching; take responsibility for your own thinking and actions, recognize what you can control and what you cannot, discriminate between what is important and what is not, don't feed your bad habits, be grateful for what you have, choose to be happy, avoid the sweep of negative emotion and people, manage your emotional responses instead of them managing you, get over yourself, realize your limitations and forego that "know-it-all" tendency that is so common among health care professionals, forgive yourself and others-let things go! And there is so much more that Epictetus has to offer.
My New Year's resolution is to keep the works of Epictetus in close reach at work and at home and to heed the advice of the French philosopher Voltaire, "Life is a shipwreck, but we must not forget to sing in the lifeboats." And that is what we will do in this New Year, sing in the lifeboats and resolve to live our lives artfully.
-Gloria F. Donnelly, PhD, RN, FAAN, FCPP
Editor in Chief
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