THE CENTIDAY FRIDAY FIVE: JANET SHAN
The proprietress of Stoic Sisterhood on Substack
Janet Shan is a writer exploring clarity, restraint, and modern life through Stoic philosophy and faith. She publishes Stoic Sisterhood, a newsletter on inner leadership and steady living.
1. What first drew you to Stoicism?
I found Stoicism by accident. I had five unused credits sitting in my Audible account and finally decided to browse recommendations. Ryan Holiday’s The Obstacle Is the Way came up. I listened to the preview, liked what I heard, and finished the book quickly.
That led me deeper. I picked up more of Holiday’s work, then moved on to Meditations, Seneca, and Epictetus. The more I read, the more I appreciated how practical Stoic philosophy is. It spoke directly about how we think, how we respond to difficulty, and how we live.
2. Do you have a favorite Stoic? Favorite Stoic quote?
I am especially drawn to Musonius Rufus. His views on women were remarkably forward-thinking for his time. He was vocal about women’s intellectual capacity, moral responsibility, and right to philosophical training. That matters to me, particularly as a woman creating space for other women in philosophy.
My favorite Stoic quote is from Seneca: “We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.”
For much of my life, I allowed my mind to run ahead of me—creating fear, anxiety, and worst-case scenarios that never came to pass. That quote helped me recognize how often my own thoughts were the source of my suffering.
3. Your Substack is called Stoic Sisterhood. We’re also interested in involving more women with Stoicism. What’s your assessment of diversity and representation in modern Stoicism?
Modern Stoicism still feels largely male and academic. While the philosophy itself is universal, the way it’s often presented can feel inaccessible to women, particularly women of color and women of faith.
Historically, Stoicism was not exclusive. Musonius Rufus argued clearly that women were just as capable of virtue, reason, and philosophical discipline as men. That inclusive spirit hasn’t always carried forward.
Stoic Sisterhood exists to help women see themselves as legitimate practitioners of Stoicism, not observers. I’d love to see more Black women, more women of faith, and more everyday women engaging with Stoicism as a lived philosophy—one that strengthens character, steadies the mind, and supports a thoughtful life.
4. You mention your faith on your Substack. Can you describe how your faith and Stoicism work together?
Stoicism and faith are complementary in practice. Both are concerned about how we think, how we respond, and how we carry ourselves through difficulty.
Stoicism teaches discipline of thought and action: focusing on what is within your control, resisting unnecessary fear, and choosing restraint over reaction. Faith teaches trust, surrender, and obedience to God even when outcomes are uncertain.
I don’t see them as competing systems. Stoicism helps me govern my mind and behavior. Faith reminds me that I am not in control of everything. Together, they create balance—responsibility without arrogance, surrender without passivity.
5. What’s something really silly that you love to do?
I love watching Pixar movies. My children tease me about it, but I’ll happily curl up and watch Finding Nemo or Zootopia. There’s something thoughtful and grounding about them, even when they’re playful.
Bonus Question: What should we have asked you, and what’s the answer?
You could have asked about my love of reading. My mother introduced me to books early and exposed me to material well beyond my age. Reading trained my attention long before distraction became constant.
To this day, I’d rather spend time with a good book than watch television or scroll endlessly through feeds on social media sites. That habit shaped how I think, how I learn, and ultimately how I engage with philosophy.