Book Freak #73: Advice from the Stoics
This issue of Book Freak presents four pieces of advice from Ryan Holiday's The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations for Clarity, Effectiveness, and Serenity.
Say no
"It may take some hard work. But the more you say no to the things that don’t matter, the more you can say yes to the things that do.”
Recognize what's under your control
"Some things are in our control, while others are not. We control our opinion, choice, desire, aversion, and, in a word, everything of our own doing. We don’t control our body, property, reputation, position, and, in a word, everything not of our own doing.”
Practice gentleness and civility
"Keep this thought handy when you feel a fit of rage coming on—it isn’t manly to be enraged. Rather, gentleness and civility are more human, and therefore manlier. A real man doesn’t give way to anger and discontent, and such a person has strength, courage, and endurance—unlike the angry and complaining. The nearer a man comes to a calm mind, the closer he is to strength." — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
Think of the rest of your life as a bonus
“Think of the life you have lived until now as over and, as a dead man, see what’s left as a bonus and live it according to Nature. Love the hand that fate deals you and play it as your own, for what could be more fitting?” — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations
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