Marcus Aurelius was the last of the “good emperors” of the Roman Empire. A man who stood above questioning who questioned himself daily. Marcus’ reminders to himself about the importance of virtue and justice inspire me and many others to this day.
“To live the good life. We have the potential for it. If we can learn to be indifferent to what makes no difference.” — Marcus Aurelius
What does it mean to be human? What does it mean to be happy? These are questions we’ve asked ourselves since the dawn of time. Many of us are overwhelmed by such questions. But here, Marcus reminds himself of his agency over his perceptions, thoughts, and actions and therefore the power he has to maintain his sense of well-being in any situation or circumstance.
In this quote, Marcus is reminding himself of a lesson from one of the ancient world’s greatest teachers, Epictetus: “It isn’t events themselves that disturb people, but only their judgments about them.”
As you enjoy your day, take note of the things that bother you or rouse your anger. Can you control these events? Not likely. But, can you control your response to them?
That, of course, is up to you.
Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker at Creative on Purpose
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