So, I teach people how to make jelly for a living. It’s a surprisingly delicate process where a lot can go wrong the pectin, the sugar, the set. I’ve been reading about Stoic philosophy lately, and I keep wondering how its principles might apply to my kitchen classroom. For instance, the idea of focusing only on what you can control feels incredibly relevant. I can control my preparation and my instruction, but I can’t control if a student’s batch doesn’t set properly. How do you separate your effort from the outcome in a hands-on teaching role like that? I’m also curious about applying the concept of amor fati, or loving your fate, to the inevitable failed batches. Instead of seeing a runny jelly as a pure failure, how can I reframe it as a necessary part of the learning process, for both me and my students? I’d love to hear from anyone who’s found ways to weave Stoic thinking into a creative or instructional practice.