5 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER DO (FROM THE STOICS) #stoicism #stoicstr

1. Don't suffer imagined troubles.

We spend so much time worried about how bad things are going to be, that we actually torture ourselves more than the thing we're worried about ever could. "We suffer more in imagination than in reality." (Seneca)

2. Don't be overheard complaining.

Not even to yourself. Look inward, not outward. Don't complain. Don't meddle in the affairs of others. When you see someone acting objectionably, remember when you have acted that way. (Marcus Aurelius)

3. Don't seek validation.

"Ambition means tying your well-being to what other people say or do. Self-indulgence means tying it to the things that happen to you." Real success, real mastery, real sanity, that comes only by "tying it to your own actions." (Marcus Aurelius)

4. Don't avoid difficulty.

To avoid difficulty would mean complete retreat from life. It would mean hiding in ignorance. Worse, this would make you dreadfully vulnerable to crisis if it did ever find you. Instead, we must welcome hazard. Rejoice in the unexpected and turn failure into strength by deciding to own it. (Marcus Aurelius)

5. Don't judge others.

Strict with yourself, understanding to others. Be open to the idea that people are going to be fools or jerks or unreliable or anything else. Let them be. That's their business. That's not inside your control. Be disciplined with yourself, your reactions. If someone acts ridiculous, let them. If you're acting ridiculous, catch the problem, stop it, and work on preventing it from happening in the future. What you do is in your control. That is your business. Be strict about it. Leave other people to themselves. You have enough to worry about. (Marcus Aurelius)