About me

I Built This Because I Was Drowning in Overwhelm

Two weeks after my first child was born, I had a reckoning.

I'd been coasting before that—managing ADHD symptoms well enough, getting frustrated occasionally, but nothing that really mattered. Then suddenly there were nappies, feeding schedules, a partner who needed support, a full-time job, and a tiny human who didn't care about my to-do list.

My cognitive load went from manageable to crushing overnight. The frustration and overwhelm I'd kept at bay? They moved into my present moment and refused to leave.

I needed something that worked. Fast. Simple. No extra friction.

Most philosophy is beautiful but useless when you're running on four hours of sleep. Most productivity systems add complexity when you need less. I didn't have bandwidth for theory or 30-minute morning routines.

I needed a system I could run in 10 minutes that would actually keep me steady.

So I built one. Not because I loved Stoicism (though I do now). Because I was struggling and needed a way through.

Why You Should Listen to Me

I've Taught Over 1,000 People

For the past six years, I've worked as an Instructor at a well known Technical Academy in Ireland, designing and delivering training for construction professionals. Before that, I spent 20+ years as a tradesman, ran strength and conditioning programs and taught martial arts.

I hold a Certificate in Training and Continuing Education from NUI Maynooth and I've built a lot of courses for people who learn by doing.

Here's what that means for you: I know how to take complex ideas and make them immediately useful. I know how to structure practice so it sticks. And I know the difference between content that impresses and content that transforms.

I've Practiced Stoicism Daily for Six Years

Not as a hobby. As a survival tool.

The 10-minute daily loop you'll learn in Stoicism 101? I've run it hundreds of times. The evening review? I've missed it plenty and learned how to restart without self-judgment. The exercises? I've tested them under real pressure—difficult conversations, work stress, sleepless nights with sick kids.

This isn't theory I admire. It's the system that keeps me functional.

I Built This for People Who Don't Need Added Complexity

Because of how I'm wired, I needed something intensely practical and quick. No added cognitive load. No time pressure. No friction.

If your mind moves fast, if you're already overwhelmed, if you've tried other systems and they felt like more work—this is for you.

I approached Stoicism from need, not interest. That's why the course is structured the way it is: short lessons, journal prompts that take 3 minutes, exercises you can run when stress hits.

It's what I needed when I was drowning in overwhelm. It's what I use now to stay steady.

My Teaching Philosophy

Plain language. Very little jargon. If I use a Greek term, I'll tell you why it matters and give you the English equivalent.

Tools over theory. You'll get structured exercises with step-by-step instructions. The Dichotomy Filter. The Three-Question Pause. The I-J-A Framework. Each one is something you can run in under 5 minutes.

Practice over perfection. I've drifted from the daily loop dozens of times. The course teaches you not just how to start, but how to restart when life gets chaotic.

Real-world application. Separate modules for relationships, work, and adversity. Philosophy meets Monday morning.

What I'm Not

I'm not a philosophy professor. I don't have a PhD. I haven't been practicing Stoicism for 30 years although I will be for the next 30 fate permitting.

I'm someone who needed a functional framework to stay steady as a parent and professional, built one from Stoic principles, and now I'm sharing what worked.

If you want academic depth, read the original texts (I'll point you toward the good ones). If you want a system you can install and run this week, that's what I've built.

About Letters & a Stoic

Letters & a Stoic is where ancient wisdom meets modern overwhelm.

It started as a way to organize my own practice—writing out the ideas that kept me steady, turning Stoic principles into actionable steps. Now it's a resource for anyone who needs clarity without complexity.

What You'll Find Here

Weekly Letters

Short, grounded essays that take one Stoic idea and make it useful. No fluff. Just practical application.

Stoicism 101

A 10-lesson course that gives you a complete daily practice system. Morning setup, midday reset, evening review—all structured, all tested, all designed to fit in 10 minutes.

Plain Language, Real Situations

Work stress. Relationship friction. Parenting under pressure. The focus is on application, not abstraction.

Why This Matters Now

Life is noisy and fast. You're managing more complexity than any previous generation. The tools that promise calm often add more to your plate.

Stoicism offers something different: a functional framework for responding with clarity instead of reacting from habit.

It's not about becoming emotionless. It's about training the gap between what happens and how you respond.

That gap is where your freedom lives. That's what this course teaches you to widen.

Let's Work Together

If you're tired of reactive living and want a system that actually works, Stoicism 101 is ready.

If you have questions, want to share your practice, or just need to know this will work for someone like you—reach out.

Email: david@lettersandastoic.com

Newsletter: Sign up to receive weekly letters and practical Stoic wisdom

"Waste no more time arguing about what a good person should be. Be one." — Marcus Aurelius