The ideal way to be sick

I’ve been getting sick easily my whole life. Fevers, stomach bugs, coughs, stuffy noses, sore throats. The usual rotation.

And every time I get sick, all my previous effort resets to zero.

For example, I get sick especially easily when I start working out. I’ll push hard for about two weeks, then get hit with something bad. The cycle matches my interest cycle perfectly, and then I just don’t want to go anymore. I’ve never managed to exercise consistently for more than a month in my entire life.

When you’re sick, things like efficiency, productivity, writing, side projects, making money, ideals all become meaningless. None of them can make you feel any better.

Might as well binge some shows, read some trashy web novels, and briefly escape into another world.

But setting aside the escapism, this is actually a kind of living in the present. When the present is nothing but discomfort, you stop caring about the past and the future. All the baggage, daily chores, and worries have nothing to do with you anymore.

Being sick also makes you feel your own limitations.

When you’re healthy, you don’t think about death. You only care about your work, your identity, your sense of accomplishment. But the moment you get sick, you remember: humans are incredibly fragile.

Everything will disappear eventually. Does anything even matter?

Whenever I get to this point, I think of Epictetus, one of the most famous Stoic philosophers.

Epictetus was born a slave. His master reportedly broke his leg, leaving him permanently disabled. A man who endured extreme physical pain every day. When he talked about suffering, it carried weight.

Epictetus said: “Illness belongs to the body, not to you.”

Your leg is sprained? That’s the leg’s problem. You have a fever? That’s the body’s problem. But your judgment, your ability to choose, those aren’t sick.

Epictetus also said: “Be a person who is sick well.”

Just as eating has its principles, having a fever should have its principles too. No need to pretend you’re healthy. No need to pretend you can still power through work. When you have a fever, your job is to “have a fever well.”

Don’t blame others. Don’t let what happens crush you. Face it. Do what needs to be done.

Epictetus also said: “Being sick is when you step onto the field.”

Being sick is the hardest time, and it’s also an exam. All the philosophy you’ve studied is meant for moments like these. If you abandon your principles the moment you get sick, it’s like being great at meditation but still panicking the second something urgent comes up. You’ve got it backwards.

I know all this. But when I’m sick, I still feel powerless. My willpower crumbles.

I’ll be sick again soon enough, so I’ll give myself a pass on this exam. Read some trashy novels and ride it out. Next time, I’ll try harder to live up to Epictetus.

Alex Hsu

Indie developer, AI music miner, and aspiring writer.
Documenting my journey of personal growth and the pursuit of simplicity.