About me
I'm David—husband, father of three, tradesman, and the guy who built this website.
When the kids came along, my cognitive load went from manageable to… not so manageable.
It went from freewheeling downhill on a sunny day to peddling furiously up the hill with frost on the ground, hail in my face and stones in my backpack. A very different experience.
How things worked in the past no longer applied.
I needed a framework, a “what to do” when seven things were screaming for my attention at the same time
I needed something that worked quickly, added little to no friction, and could run in ten minutes.
So I built one from Stoic principles.
I’d always liked Stoic philosophy but I had never really practiced Stoic philosophy in a conscious sense.
So.. because I was struggling and needed a way through, I started to practice.
Six years of regular practice later and here we are.
Sparks of insight in an easy to read format and a little bit of vlogging
A 10-lesson course that gives you an understanding of stoicism and a complete daily system of practice.
The Journal Template
“Coming soon”
A Notion-based practice journal built to run alongside the course—or on its own.
Daily entries, weekly reviews, and nine Stoic exercises for when the day asks for more than a standard reflection.
As a caveat, I'm not a philosophy professor.
I'm someone who needed a functional framework to stay steady as a parent and working professional,
….and I built one from Stoic principles.
If you're tired of reactive living and want something that actually works, a letter or two in your inbox,
a course you can start this week, or a journal you can open this morning, you’ll find it here.
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
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 (mostly). The exercises? I've tested them under real pressure, difficult conversations, work stress, sleepless nights with sick kids.
This isn't a theory I admire although it was at one stage. 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 loading. 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
Occasional 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
"Waste no more time arguing about what a good person should be. Be one." — Marcus Aurelius