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Control Only What You Can
Your opinions, judgments, and responses are yours. External events are not. Direct your energy accordingly.
Private reflections on virtue, mortality, and the disciplined mind
Your opinions, judgments, and responses are yours. External events are not. Direct your energy accordingly.
Past and future exist only in thought. The present moment is the only arena where life actually happens.
You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do, say, and think. Memento mori.
What stands in the way becomes the way. Every impediment is material for virtue and growth.
Remove the judgment 'this is bad' and the hurt disappears. Things are neutral — your mind adds the rest.
Expect to meet the ungrateful, arrogant, and dishonest. They cannot harm you unless you let them disturb your peace.
Humans exist for one another. Teach them or bear with them — to harm another is to harm yourself.
See the thing itself — what is it in its nature? A feast is a dead fish, wine is rotted grapes. See clearly, act wisely.
Those who remember you will soon be dead themselves. Endless generations have already been forgotten. So will we.
When disturbed, return immediately to yourself and your guiding truths. The longest journey back is delay.
Loss is nothing but change, and change is nature's delight. What you fear losing was never truly yours.
Most of what we say and do is unnecessary. Eliminate it and gain time and tranquility both.
You don't need mountains or beaches for peace. Retreat into yourself — no place is quieter or freer.
Don't debate what a good person should be. Simply be one. Action proves character that words never can.
Amor fati — love your fate. What happens to you was prescribed for you. The thread was spun long ago.
Choose not to be harmed and you won't feel harmed. Don't feel harmed and you haven't been.
A horse after a race, a bee after making honey — neither asks for praise. Do your work, then move on.
Seen from above, human affairs are small. Empires rise and fall like anthills. This perspective brings peace.
Your life is dyed the color of your thoughts. What you think upon, you become. Guard your inner citadel.
If you do the task before you with diligence, goodwill, and reverence — that is enough. Nothing more is required.