Stoic Week 2025 Report: Well-being, Vitality, Happiness
by Tim Lebon
Welcome to Stoicism Today! Did you know Stoicism has been empirically proven to boost well-being and increase zest for life? This week Modern Stoicism’s Director of Research, Tim Lebon, shares results from Stoic Week 2025. And if you’d like to participate in Stoic Week 2026, make sure to subscribe to this newsletter for updates and announcements.
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Stoic Week is an annual, international initiative inviting participants to explore how Stoic philosophy can be applied to everyday life. Since its launch in 2013, Stoic Week has combined accessible philosophical material with structured daily exercises, enabling thousands of participants worldwide to experiment with Stoic ideas together in a practical, time-limited way. Alongside its educational aims, Stoic Week has generated a distinctive and growing programme of empirical research and evaluation examining the impact of Stoic practice.
Stoic Week 2025 marked the thirteenth year of this programme. As in previous years, participants were invited to complete questionnaires at the start and end of the week, allowing us to examine changes in well-being and Stoic attitudes and behaviours over the course of the intervention. The overall structure of Stoic Week remained familiar: a seven-day programme with daily readings, reflections, and optional exercises, designed to be accessible to people with little or no prior knowledge of Stoicism, while still offering depth for more experienced practitioners. The materials built on those from previous years, with some enhancements. Further details of the content of Stoic Week can be found in Appendix A and the Stoic Week Handbook at https://modernstoicism.com/stoic-week/.
In 2025, we set out to address five primary research questions.
We have previously found a consistent and positive connection between well-being (however measured) and Stoicism (as measured by SABS), along with improvements across the board in well-being after completing Stoic Week. Would this pattern continue for a thirteenth successful year?
In 2017 we found, to our surprise, that zest—enthusiasm, liveliness and energy—was strongly positively correlated with Stoicism and also increased significantly after a week of Stoic practice. We wanted to see whether we could replicate this finding using the latest version of SABS and a validated measure of vitality, a concept closely related to zest. Would the 2017 result turn out to be a one-off, or can we finally lay the caricature of the apathetic Stoic to rest?
Since last year’s Stoic Week, the SABS, our measure of Stoicism, has been refined and formally validated (LeBon et al., 2025). It now distinguishes seven overlapping but distinct dimensions of Stoicism (LeBon, 2025). With this clearer structure in place, we can examine how each dimension relates to well-being. Which dimension would emerge as most strongly linked to well-being—and, perhaps, the key “active ingredient” in Stoicism?
We are often asked how mindfulness practice relates to Stoicism. This year we asked participants whether they had a mindfulness or meditation practice, to explore whether mindfulness enhances the impact of Stoicism or whether it, to some extent, makes Stoic practice redundant.
We have previously found that age and gender have relatively little effect on who benefits from Stoicism. In 2025 we wanted to explore whether education level matters. We suspect that most Stoic Week participants are relatively highly educated, but is that actually the case? And do those with less formal education benefit just as much?
This report summarises the main findings from Stoic Week 2025. The first section reports overall changes in well-being and Stoicism, and subsequent sections address the four research questions in turn. This report is intended as a public-facing overview rather than a formal academic paper. Technical details are presented in appendices for readers who wish to explore the data in more detail.
1) Overall Changes in Well-Being and Stoicism
Participants who completed Stoic Week 2025 showed improvements across all major well-being measures, consistent with findings from previous years.
As in earlier Stoic Weeks, completers reported increases in:
life satisfaction (12%, see Appendix G)
flourishing (8%, see Appendix H)
mental well-being (20.5%, see Appendix J)
positive emotion (10%, see Appendix I)
and reductions in:
negative emotion (18%, see Appendix I)
Overall Stoicism, as measured by the SABS total score, also increased markedly over the week, indicating that improvements in well-being were accompanied by measurable changes in Stoic attitudes and practices (see Appendix F).
The overall pattern of change was similar to Stoic Week 2024.
These findings should be interpreted cautiously. Stoic Week does not include a randomised control group, participants are self-selected, and the results rely on self-report measures. However, the consistency of improvements across many years strengthens confidence that Stoic Week is doing something meaningful rather than simply capturing short-term mood fluctuations.
In addition, many participants reported significant, and in some cases profound, benefits. For example:
“This was a very good intro to Stoicism for me.”
“I will be a better person with stronger character.”
2. Stoicism, Vitality and Zest
The strong role of vitality observed in Stoic Week 2025 replicates and extends earlier Stoic Week findings. In Stoic Week 2017, zest emerged as one of the character-related variables most strongly associated with well-being, using an earlier Stoicism measure and the CIVIC scale (LeBon, 2018a). Zest was also found to increase significantly after a week of Stoic practice (LeBon, 2018b).
Stoic Week 2025 extends this work in two important ways. First, we used a recognised measure of vitality (a construct closely related to zest, meaning a felt experience of being alive and energetic) rather than relying on a single dimension within a broader character scale. Second, we used the validated version of the SABS, which distinguishes seven dimensions of Stoicism, allowing us to examine which elements are most closely associated with vitality.
At the start of Stoic Week, vitality showed a strong and robust association with Stoicism. All SABS dimensions were positively correlated with vitality (r = .24–.43), with the strongest associations observed for Stoic Mindfulness (& reflection) (r = .43) and Virtue (r = .42) (see Appendix M). The total SABS score correlated at r = .50, meaning that people who were more Stoic tended, quite strongly, to report higher levels of vitality.
Vitality also increased by 13% over the course of the week, indicating that Stoic practice is associated with greater energy and engagement. Item-level vitality changes are reported in Appendix K.
These findings challenge the caricature of a Stoic as apathetic and emotionally flat Instead, they support a view of Stoicism as a philosophy that fosters calm engagement. Further research is required to determine why this is the case.
3. Which dimensions of Stoicism are most associated with well-being?
With the publication of the validated SABS, Stoic Week 2025 enables us to ask a more precise question than in previous years: which dimensions of Stoicism are most closely linked to well-being?
At baseline, the seven Stoic dimensions showed distinct patterns of association with well-being (see Appendix M):
Stoic Mindfulness (& Reflection) and Virtue showed the strongest associations with flourishing, vitality, and mental well-being.
Virtue and Beliefs About Happiness were particularly associated with the balance of positive and negative emotion. Stoic Mindfulness was also strongly linked to emotional balance, especially positive emotion.
All seven dimensions were positively associated with all well-being measures. However, Stoic Worldview showed consistently weaker associations.
4. Does mindfulness practice impact the effectiveness of Stoicism?
Participants who reported meditating more frequently also reported higher levels of well-being (see Appendix D). The more people meditated, the higher their reported well-being.
The association between mindfulness and well-being is well established in psychological research (e.g. Brown & Ryan, 2003). Stoic Week 2025 provided an opportunity to explore the relationship between mindfulness practice and Stoicism.
We found that participants who meditated more in general scored correspondingly higher on the SABS. Unsurprisingly, the strongest association was with the Stoic Mindfulness dimension. The Beliefs About Happiness and Virtue dimensions were also strongly associated with mindfulness practice. All seven dimensions showed positive relationships with meditation frequency, suggesting that those who meditate tend to be more Stoic across multiple dimensions, and vice versa. Of course, this association does not establish causal direction.
We were also interested in whether people who meditate experience greater or lesser gains from Stoic Week. Interestingly, the largest percentage improvements were observed among those who meditated occasionally or moderately often, rather than among those who did not meditate at all. This suggests that mindfulness and Stoic practice may be complementary. It is plausible that they operate through different but overlapping mechanisms, mindfulness increasing awareness of thoughts and fostering acceptance, while Stoic practice provides direction for living and supports emotional regulation by challenging unhelpful judgements.
It is also worth noting that those who meditated most frequently showed smaller percentage gains than those who meditated slightly less. This may reflect a ceiling effect: because frequent meditators began the week with relatively high well-being, there was less scope for improvement.
5. Does education level impact the effectiveness of Stoicism?
Consistent with previous research, there is a modest positive association between education and well-being (Diener et al., 1999). Stoicism, as measured by the SABS, was also slightly associated with higher education levels, but the effect was very small— much weaker than the association with prior mindfulness practice.
Improvements in well-being and Stoicism were observed across all education levels, with no clear relationship between education and the size of gains in well-being or Stoicism. These findings suggest that Stoic practice is accessible and beneficial across a wide range of educational backgrounds, rather than primarily favouring those with a very high levels of formal education.
Conclusions
In answer to the five research questions:
For the thirteenth consecutive year, the majority of Stoic Week participants who completed the programme showed meaningful improvements in well-being.
Stoic Week 2025 confirms previous findings by showing that Stoic practice is associated not only with improved calm and reduced distress, but also with increased vitality and engagement with life and that Stoic practices increases vitality and zest.
All of the seven dimensions of Stoicism are significantly associated with well-being. Two dimensions of the SABS, Virtue and Stoic Mindfulness (& reflection) seem most strongly associated with well-being, with beliefs about happiness being next most significant, especially in connection with emotional well-being.
Mindfulness and Stoicism appear to reinforce and complement each other. People who meditate benefit from doing Stoic Week and in general reach a higher level of well-being than those who do not, but those who do Stoic Week and do not meditate generally benefit from Stoicism alone. This suggests that Stoicism can operate as a stand-alone intervention and also in tandem with mindfulness. More research is needed to determine the precise benefits of each, and how they can optimally be combined.
The absence of formal education is not a barrier to Stoicism. Participants with less formal education can benefit as much as those without it.
Given the consistent benefits observed across demographic groups, the key practical priority is expanding participation in Stoic Week (and Stoicism in general) to increase overall societal impact. Any researchers interested in using the SABS or discussing how they can help can contact me via my website (www.timlebon.com).
References
Brown, K. W., & Ryan, R. M. (2003). The benefits of being present: Mindfulness and its role in psychological well-being. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(4), 822–848.
Diener, E., Suh, E. M., Lucas, R. E., & Smith, H. L. (1999). Subjective well-being: Three decades of progress. Psychological Bulletin, 125(2), 276–302.
LeBon, T. (2018a, January). Stoic Week 2017 report, part 2. Modern Stoicism. https://modernstoicism.com/stoic-week-2017-report-part-2-by-tim-lebon/
LeBon, T. (2018b, February). Stoic Week 2017 report, part 3: The impact of Stoic Week and SMRT. Modern Stoicism. https://modernstoicism.com/stoic-week-2017-report-part-3-the-impact-of-stoic-week-and-smrt-by-tim-lebon/
LeBon, T. (2025, September). How the science of Stoicism can boost your well-being. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/gb/blog/365-ways-to-be-more-stoic/202509/how-the-science-of-stoicism-can-boost-your-well-being
LeBon, T., Brown, G., DiGiuseppe, R., Karl, J., Fischer, R., & Lopez, G. (2025). The development and validation of the Stoic Attitudes and Behaviours Scale. Cognitive Therapy and Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-025-10635-9
About the Author
Tim LeBon is a BABCP accredited CBT psychotherapist and UKCP registered existential therapist. He is also an APPA and SPP registered philosophical counsellor and is also trained as a life coach and integrative counsellor. He works in the NHS as a CBT therapist and in private practice in London as a psychotherapist & counsellor. He is a past Chair of the Society for Philosophy in Practice (SPP), was the founding editor of Practical Philosophy, and is a founding member and Director of Research for Modern Stoicism. His most recent book is 365 Ways to Be More Stoic: A Day-by-Day Guide to Practical Stoicism.
Appendices
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Appendix A: Course Content
Stoic Week is an e-learning programme developed by the Modern Stoicism team. Participants are invited to “live like a Stoic” for a week, undertaking an e-learning course and potentially interacting with other students through on-line forums. In 2024 the training consisted of a booklet, available on-line and also in pdf form and also short instructional videos and a discussion group on Teachable. Materials were written and facilitated by Tim LeBon and Eve Riches, with support from the Modern Stoicism team including much-valued volunteers who helped out with moderating the discussions and others who translated the handbook into a variety of languages.
Innovations from 2025 which were retained included use of a graphic to illustrate the main theme of the day, and use of a “STOIC” framework to encourage during on Stoicism throughout the day, as well as daily reminder of a key Stoic quotation, Meditation 2.1, and its connection with the day’s topic.
Newly introduced in 2025 were
A quick start guide
A dedicated reflection section especially for returning participants
Just one thing—a key takeaway to remember from each day
Additional material provided, especially for days 1, 2 and 6
As well as providing a useful resource for participants who wish to learn about how to practice Stoicism, this and other Modern Stoicism programmes are aimed at increasing what we know about the potential benefits of Stoicism. To this end, participants were asked to fill in a set of questionnaires at the beginning and end of the course. These included the SABS 5.0, a questionnaire designed by the Modern Stoicism team to measure someone’s degree of Stoicism and 3 standard well-being questionnaires we have used in previous Stoic Weeks and in 2024 two questionnaires related to vulnerability to depression and anxiety.
Appendix B: Participant Demographics
B1. Overall Participation
Total participants who completed start-of-week questionnaires: 1,424
Participants who completed end-of-week questionnaires: 410
Completion rate: 28.8%
These figures are very likely an underestimate. At least 3,650 people signed up for Stoic Week 2025, which is considerably more than the number of participants who completed the questionnaires. Whilst it is impossible to determine the number of people who completed the course, it is likely to be considerably more than the 410 who complete the end-of-week questionnaires.
B2. Gender Distribution
The gender balance has remained stable across recent Stoic Weeks.
B3. Age Distribution
The mean age was 50, with 60% of participants being over 45.
B4. Geographic Distribution
Countries with 40 or more participants:
As in previous years, Stoic Week primarily reached participants in English-speaking countries, though participation was global.
B5. Previous Stoic Week Experience
82% had not participated in Stoic Week 2024
18% were returning participants
Stoic Week continues primarily to reach newcomers, introducing large numbers of participants to practical Stoicism each year.
Appendix C: Selected Participant Feedback
The qualitative feedback indicated significant and in some cases profound benefits for many participants. Below is a selection of the feedback,
This year I was lucky in that Stoic Week coincided with a tense time in the building where I live. There were strongly opposing camps and Stoic practice helped me be even tempered about other people.
The greatest benefit for me was to realize the gap between my first automatically impression, and the freedom not to buy it.
For me there were so many ideas that there is a lot to discover yet.
I although want to go further in the different tools that were presented.
A big Thanks to all who made it possible to take part on this event.
Participating in Stoic Week helped me stay calmer, make wiser choices, and be more patient and understanding with the people around me.
It felt great to be part of the community and to learn a little about stoic philosophy. Many thanks to everyone who generously gave their time to facilitate this.
This week was helpful in grounding me, in digging into stoicism to a greater degree. I think this is of benefit to my wife, as I am more even, able to manage stressful situations and people. She sees me as having greater capacity than her in these areas.
I am a person who needs structure. This is perfect for that.
The lunch time reflections are ace. Taking stock at half time is something I will continue to do. I am going to set up a default couple of questions like how is the day going, have I been supportive, am I being moody etc.
The support and words of encouragement were also great. It is nice to have someone to talk to.
I learnt more about Stoicism. I was able to use the STOIC framework to control my behaviour in a daily stressful situation better. My attention was drawn back to keeping a reflective journal. I learnt that I should probably focus on one area at a time to improve as this will bring greater knowledge and skills. I am looking forward to working towards my own Stoic toolkit.
Appendix D: Mindfulness Practitioners
Participants were asked “How often do you currently practise mindfulness, meditation, or other reflective exercises (such as breath awareness or body scans) other than Stoic practices?”
Appendix E: Education Level
Appendix F: The Stoic Attitudes and Behaviours Scale (SABS)
Appendix G: The Satisfaction with Life Scale
The SWLS is a short 5-item instrument designed to measure global cognitive judgments of satisfaction with one’s life. This scale is widely used as part of the measure of Subjective Well-being (also known as happiness).
Question Theme
Q1. In most ways my life is close to my ideal Life is ideal
Q2. The conditions of my life are excellent Externals met
Q3. So far, I have got the important things I want in life. Needs met
Q4. I am satisfied with my life Satisfaction
Q5. If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing Acceptance
Using a 1-7 Likert scale, users score between 35 (extremely satisfied) and 5 (extremely dissatisfied)
Reference: The SWL scale was developed by Ed Diener, Robert A. Emmons, Randy J. Larsen, and Sharon Griffin as noted in the 1985 article in the Journal of Personality Assessment. See http://internal.psychology.illinois.edu/~ediener/SWLS.html
Appendix H: The Flourishing Scale
The Flourishing Scale is a brief 8-item summary measure of the respondent’s’self-perceived success in important areas such as relationships, self-esteem, purpose, and optimism. The scale provides a single psychological well-being score.This scale was developed by Ed Diener and associates to measure a broader conception of well-being than purely subjective life satisfaction and the presence of positive and absence of negative emotions.
Reference: Diener, E., Wirtz, D., Tov, W., Kim-Prieto, C., Choi, D., Oishi, S., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2009). New measures of well-being: Flourishing and positive and negative feelings. Social Indicators Research, 39, 247-266. http://internal.psychology.illinois.edu/~ediener/FS.html
Appendix I: The Scale of Positive and Negative Emotions (SPANE)
The SPANE is a 12-item questionnaire that includes six items to assess positive feelings and six questions to assess negative emotions. For both the positive and negative items, three of the items are general (e.g., positive, negative) and three per subscale are more specific (e.g., joyful, sad). Along with the Life Satisfaction Scale, the presence of positive and absence of negative emotions forms the other part of Subjective Well-being. Users are asked to select a number between 1 (very rarely or never) and 5 (very often or always) to indicate how often they have experienced the emotion in the last 4 weeks.
Table I1. Stoic Week baseline scores and change for SPANE
Reference: Diener, E., Wirtz, D., Tov, W., Kim-Prieto, C., Choi. D., Oishi, S., & Biswas-Diener, R. (2009). New measures of well-being: Flourishing and positive and negative feelings. Social Indicators Research, 39, 247-266. http://internal.psychology.illinois.edu/~ediener/SPANE.html
Appendix J: The WHO-5 Scale
The World Health Organisation- Five Well-Being Index (WHO-5) is a short self-reported measure of current mental wellbeing.
The measure was first introduced in its present form in 1998 by the WHO Regional Office in Europe as part of the DEPCARE project on well-being measures in primary health care.
The minimum score (least well-being) is 0 and the highest score (most well-being) is 25.
References:
Topp C.W., Østergaard S.D., Søndergaard S., & Bech P. (2015). The WHO-5 Well-Being Index: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 84, 167-176.
WHO. (1998). Wellbeing Measures in Primary Health Care/The Depcare Project. WHO Regional Office for Europe: Copenhagen.
Appendix K: The Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS)
Reference: Ryan, R. M., & Frederick, C. M. (1997). On energy, personality and health: Subjective vitality as a dynamic reflection of well-being. Journal of Personality, 65, 529-565.
Appendix L: Changes in Well-being During Stoic Week 2025
Appendix M: Correlations between SABS dimensions and Well-being Scales
