I've been re-reading, and reflecting upon, one of my favourite books called Meditations by Marcus Aurelius and I thought I'd share a few quotes here and there. Quite conveniently, I took a walk around part of the city where I live recently and decided some of the images I took on that walk may be suitable in accompaniment to the quotes I choose.
"Let not your mind run on what you lack as much as on what you have already." - Marcus Aurelius
Feel free to comment with your thoughts or feelings about the quote above if you're so inclined.
Design and create your ideal life, tomorrow isn't promised - galenkp
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Image(s) in this post are my own
One of my favorite messages of Stoicism. It's not only about being content what one has, but also realizing what others don't have - gaining perspective. As an emperor, MA had to care for all Roman citizens. Not only the elite, and definitely not only himself. Hence, the reminder to gain perspectives is crucial to not forget that.
I mean, being an emperor, it's not that hard to say "Be content with what you have.", as he has almost everything - material that is. And there lies the second message, what he discusses many times. The material doesn't matter. Nor fame, nor anything exterior. The only true progress you make is inside you. And even an emperor has to work on that, over and over again.
Well said, I've nothing to add. ✅
Being too focused on what you lack may become obsessive, missing to evaluate what you have, it's human nature I guess, look for more and more and never be satisfied...
Indeed, although I think the truly happy people find contentment in what they have while seeking continual improvement.
If we focus on what we lack, we’ll have more of it and there’ll be even more things missing; if we focus on what we have, we’ll build on that and achieve so much more.
Yep, that's the message for sure.
Contentment is an important thing, but there is a fine line between being content and settling.
I never see/feel that my contentment is me "settling" in life; I focus on enjoying what I have in life (health, wealth and so on) and have an eye to what's important ahead of me, what I need/ to do and have so feeling contentment is a reward for work already done.
That's great you are able to have that mindset. I think a lot of people struggle with it, which leads to the fine line between the two. The problem I have seen with settling is you often don't realize it until much later, so while you think you are content, you eventually realize you settled.
The beauty of this quote is its capability of opening a rusted mind. After constant thinking, I am still so confused. On one hand, it encourages gratitude and contentment. In this contemporary world, we are in constant rush against one another, also with the things. So, what I have understood is: existing blessings can redeuce the aching part. However, what if there is no competition at all? Human beings will loose the drive for the betterment. I mean it is the aching parts will lead us toward a better world. So maybe a balanced approach? Like being thankful for today, but at the same time, being curious and ambitious for tomorrow.
If you don't mind me asking, what do you think about it?
I think if a human loses their drive to improve (betterment you called it) then that human has given up and I don't think that's a positive way forward.
Having said that, not taking time to appreciate the moment is wasteful of life because all we have is the exact present, the future is not promised.
So, balance is a smart choice. Appreciate what one has, who one is and what onedies in the present and lean forward into the future doing the things that will eventually furnish one's life in the future.
It seems pretty logical to me.
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