Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius, one of the most famous Stoic philosophers in history, left behind a series of personal reflections called meditation.
I have a video here for you to watch that explores these writings, which were originally written as his own musings and not intended to be read by others, much less to become a timeless guide to millions.
In fact, Aurelius wanted them destroyed after his death. However, their unexpected survival provides some fascinating insights into coping with life’s challenges.
Central to Aurelius’ philosophy is the concept of indifference, a word that is often misunderstood. For Aurelius, indifference did not equal indifference or emotional detachment. Rather, it’s about maintaining perspective: the ability to focus on what really matters and let go of what doesn’t.
“Marcus Aurelius emphasized that we must be indifferent to things that don’t matter,” explains the After Skool animated series. “It’s not about being numb to life or ignoring our emotions.
“Apathy is the separation of your higher self from physical reality, emotions, and thoughts. It is detached from consequences, so the rational mind can observe events from a clear distance.
I don’t know about you, but sometimes life throws me into an endless cycle of worry and I find myself obsessing over inconveniences or situations that I have no control over. I hated it, but it hit me hard because of the business I helped run.
When things happen that are beyond my control, they dominate our thoughts and distract me from what is truly important. Aurelius warned against this tendency, urging us to see life from a broader perspective.
“We spend most of our time worrying about small things,” Aurelius observed. “We find things to complain about or be bothered about, without knowing that these things have no impact on our lives in the larger context.”
Aurelius invites people to embrace the brevity of life. “Change is the only constant. Change is inevitable… Love the hand that fate has given you and play with it as if it were your own.
Accepting the unpredictability of life is not giving up, it is empowering. By focusing on the things we can control, such as our reactions, our values, and our actions, we can free ourselves from unnecessary pain.
Perhaps one of Aurelius’s most powerful teachings is that there are beautiful thoughts even in the face of adversity. While it’s often easy to appreciate the value of difficulty in hindsight, finding meaning in challenge is an art that takes practice.
The video reads: “Looking back, it’s easy to see that difficult times were meaningful experiences. It’s much harder to see the beauty and adversity we face now, but it can be done, and it’s a very Powerful tool.
By cultivating an attitude of indifference toward things beyond our control, we can increase our ability to see the present moment with clarity. This clarity allows us to appreciate the beauty of life, not just in its joys but also in its struggles.
Aurelius encourages us to find strength in this perspective: “Don’t sweat the small stuff.”
This is one of those things that I randomly encountered at this point in my life that I needed to hear. So, I thought I’d share it in case some of you can use it too.
