![Preview of Focus on What Matters: A Collection of Stoic Letters on Living Well](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41jFH0YnawL.jpg)
updated 3mo ago
updated 3mo ago
“We will train both soul and body when we accustom ourselves to cold, heat, thirst, hunger, scarcity of food, hardness of bed, abstaining from pleasures, and enduring pains.”
We all need to be more conscious of how we spend our time. Most of us know this — we just don’t live it. We squander our time like it’s nothing.
juarry added 3mo ago
“To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom,”
The key is to train in a mindful way. Don’t just learn things. Turn everything you learn into an activity.
“Each day acquire something that will fortify you against poverty, against death, indeed against other misfortunes as well; and after you have run over many thoughts, select one to be thoroughly digested that day.”
Know what you can and cannot control! That’s the Stoic’s path to a happy life. If you set a high value on happiness, everything else must be valued less.
juarry added 3mo ago
While many of us desire to become the rulers of our destiny, we can’t embark on that endeavor unless we master our inner world first. Otherwise, we will give up every time we experience a setback.
juarry added 3mo ago
Show them sympathy, use comforting words, and even share their misery outwardly. But make sure that you do not inwardly grieve with them.”
juarry added 3mo ago
Our job is not to preach our values. Our job is to execute our values in our own minds.
juarry added 3mo ago
you instead start looking at life as a journey that could lead you anywhere, you go about everything differently. You’ll say, “Let’s see what happens.” And as a Stoic, whatever happens, is fine. So life will be fine.