Meditations

Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor and stoic philosopher, ruled Rome from 161 to 180 AD. He was considered to be the greatest ruler of his time, and thankfully to the current public at large, journaled his daily thoughts which was published into a great work of art, Meditations. Aurelius was surprisingly very humble, and often spoke of normal difficulties throughout his life, and how he dealt with them.

There is profound thought that went into his daily journaling, and we can learn a great deal about conquering struggles from Aurelius. One of which is overcoming challenges that, at the time, may seem overwhelming. Some incredible quotes from the book include “Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them” and “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one”.

When the feats seem insurmountable, or you are going through challenging time in your life, Stoic philosophy is an amazing way to objectively view the situation. Not only will you learn about how to deal with the situation, you will be getting insight into how some of the most powerful and successful people from thousands of years ago dealt with their challenges. This insight is invaluable.