“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” – Marcus Aurelius
When reflecting on my past, chaos was a common denominator.
My life was a roller coaster, and it still is. In fact, all of our lives are roller coasters — especially right now. When communicating with my peers, I’ve concluded that everybody is experiencing some sort of distress. Our lives aren’t like they used to be, and the status quo is taking a toll on our levels of sanity.
Marcus Aurelius was a warrior.
As a roman emperor, he had one of the most stressful jobs in human history, and he still managed to remain stoic throughout his reign. When considering the role models one should emulate, Aurelius is an excellent candidate.
He had all the money, status, and fame that one could ever dream of — and he still concluded that it wasn’t the answer…
The answer is within you.
According to Aurelius, the quality of our lives is dependent upon the quality of our thoughts. It’s not the things that happen to you, but how you react to them that matters most—and I can attest to that.
I’ve been at rock bottom before.
I know what it’s like to feel hopeless, to want to give up, and to see no point in getting out of bed. I’ve been there , many times actually, and the one thing I can say is that you have to believe that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.
Because if there’s no light, then what’s the point of it all?
If you don’t have a light, you won’t be able to stay disciplined in the long-term. Self-discipline is more than just motivation: motivation comes and goes…What doesn’t are your daily habits.
Like a warrior, you must keep moving forward when all hope is lost.
The future is bright: you just have to believe it—and the only person to be held accountable is yourself.
JL