Stoic Empathy: Harnessing Ancient Philosophy for Modern Emotional Resilience | Shermin Kruse (EP24)
Minimalist Moms Podcast | Purposeful Life & Parenting Tips
Diane Boden
4.7 • 1K Ratings
🗓️ 9 April 2025
⏱️ 35 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
This podcast is part of the Clear Intentions series of the show
Stoicism combined with empathy may sound like a contradiction in terms. But when these seemingly opposing forces are harnessed together, they have the power to change your life. In today's episode, I explore the concept of "stoic empathy" with award-winning lawyer, speaker, and thought leader Shermin Kruse. Blending cutting-edge research, ancient Stoic wisdom, and practical strategies, she challenges the traditional view of empathy as purely emotional, instead introducing a cognitive approach that allows us to understand others without losing control of our own emotions.
Links Discussed in This Episode |
- Ryan Holiday
- The Daily Stoic
- Book: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
- Connect with Shermin:
- Website
- Book: Stoic Empathy: The Road Map to a Life of Influence, Self-Leadership, and Integrity
About Shermin|
Shermin Kruse is an award-winning idea curator, global change-maker, international business lawyer, speaker, and storyteller. With nearly two decades of experience, she specializes in competitive strategy, game theory, corporate advocacy, brand protection, and dispute resolution for Fortune 500 companies and international corporations. She also produces thought-leadership events, including TEDx conferences and salon series, and teaches Negotiating with Tactical Empathy, Global Transactions, and Leadership at Northwestern Pritzker School of Law. A mother of four in Chicago, Shermin’s journey from war-torn Tehran to elite corporate boardrooms fuels her passion for justice, empathy, and global understanding. Her work bridges complex negotiations, leadership, and advocacy to drive meaningful change worldwide.
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Transcript
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| 1:03.8 | code minimalist for 20% off your first order. So stoicism is really this ancient Greek philosophy |
| 1:09.3 | that centers around emotional regulation. |
| 1:12.7 | Modern day cognitive behavioral therapy, essentially. |
| 1:16.5 | There's always going to be some component of the emotional connection and attention of feeling of the other person's pain. |
| 1:22.1 | But depending on the circumstances and scenario, it might be not appropriate at all or it might be extremely appropriate |
| 1:28.9 | for you to essentially walk in that person's shoes. I was born in 77. The revolution, |
| 1:35.5 | just to give folks some sort of context, occurred in 79, followed closely by the Iran-Iraq War, |
| 1:41.7 | which lasted about 10 years and claimed about a million lives out of 40 million Iranians as a child. |
| 1:47.9 | And this is very confusing for a child. |
| 1:50.1 | When I stepped outside the house, I had to be something totally different than who I could be inside the house in order to keep my family safe. |
... |
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