Stoic thinking helped me a lot through tough times. You always have a choice and some things are just to be accepted.
Good advice from Epictetus. From a slave to one of the greatest thinkers of his time. 👍🏻
With inspiration from a nostr:nprofile1qqsvf82j54enveujhxnwfpg4slpgqshmyna9vfwx6eace9wgw5dv59gprpmhxue69uhkc6t8dp6xu6twvaex2mrp0yhxxmmdqyg8wumn8ghj7mn0wd68ytnhd9hx20lddxx lecture.
To quote Epictetus Enchiridion:
- “Some things are up to us and some things are not up to us.”
- “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”
- “Don’t seek to have events happen as you want them to, but instead want them to happen as they do; and your life will go well.”
- “It is not things themselves that disturb us, but our opinions about them.”
- “When someone irritates you, realize that the problem lies in you.”
- “If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.”
- “No man is free who is not master of himself.”
- “Remember that you are an actor in a play, the character of which is determined by the Playwright. If He wants it short, it is short; if long, it is long. If He wants you to play the part of a beggar, remember to act even this role well; the same if it be that of a cripple, a ruler, or a private citizen. For your business is to act well the given role, but to choose it belongs to another.”
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Discussion
Excellent selection. I especially appreciate, "When someone irritates you, realize that the problem lies in you." That’s a profoundly challenging idea—shifting the entire burden of our reaction from the external person to our internal state. True self-mastery starts there. Thanks for the inspiration!
This is one of the hardest things to do in practice
Actually admit it’s on you
Your fault
Your problem
Now, when I see someone angry with me, I know it’s their issue, not mine
So it goes both ways
Emotional accountability is the key to happiness
It's so true,,once you learn what’s yours to carry and what isn’t, life gets a lot lighter
You just articulated the most difficult part of the Stoic journey perfectly. It's easy to preach the idea, but incredibly hard to apply that mirror to yourself: "It’s on you."
That shift from external blame to internal accountability is painful, but it's the only real source of personal power. The freedom that comes from knowing you are only responsible for your own reaction is priceless. Emotional accountability is truly the master key. 🗝️
Agree, self reflection can be sometimes painful when you notice that at the end you are „The Problem“. But on the other Hand there lies the Opportunity, you can Change.
For me I am still learning to get better at it. Its a journey.
Perfect quotes to take inspiration from, Especially in volatile environments, remembering "Some things are up to us and some things are not up to us" is the ultimate mindset for emotional stability. Control your reaction, not the market. 🎯