Epictetus Quotes
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Try not to react merely in the moment. Pull back from the situation. Take a wider view. Compose yourself.
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When you have decided that a thing ought to be done, and are doing it, never shun being seen doing it, even though the multitude should be likely to judge the matter amiss. For if you are not acting rightly, shun the act itself; if rightly, however, why fear misplaced censure? (172).
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When we are invited to a banquet, we take what is set before us; and were one to call upon his host to set fish upon the table or sweet things, he would be deemed absurd. Yet in a word, we ask the Gods for what they do not give; and that, although they have given us so many things! (35).
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It is a mark of a mean capacity to spend much time on the things which concern the body, such as much exercise, much eating, much drinking, much easing of the body, much copulation. But these things should be done as subordinate things: and let all your care be directed to the mind.
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Have the wisdom to know what cannot be changed, and the strength to change what can.
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In prosperity it is very easy to find a friend; but in adversity it is the most difficult of all things.
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Do not try to seem wise to others.
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Things true and evident must of necessity be recognized by those who would contradict them.
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From now on practice saying to everything that appears unpleasant: You are merely an appearance and NOT what you appear to be.
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We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.
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Every place is safe to him who lives with justice.
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Happiness is an equivalent for all troublesome things.
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An ignorant person is inclined to blame others for his own misfortune. To blame oneself is proof of progress. But the wise man never has to blame another or himself.
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Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.
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It is unreasonable to think we can earn rewards without being willing to pay their true price. It is always our choice whether or not we wish to pay the price for life's rewards.
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Why, do you not know, then, that the origin of all human evils, and of baseness, and cowardice, is not death, but rather the fear of death?
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Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not.
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The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.
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Keep death and exile daily before thine eyes, with all else that men deem terrible, but more especially Death. Then wilt thou never think a mean thought, nor covet anything beyond measure. (161).
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What is the first business of one who practices philosophy? To get rid of self-conceit. For it is impossible for anyone to begin to learn that which he thinks he already knows.
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What hurts this person is not the occurrence itself, for another person might not feel oppressed by this situation at all. What is hurting this person is the response he or she has uncritically adopted. It is not a demonstration of kindness or friendship to the people we care about to join them in indulging in wrongheaded, negative feelings.
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If what the philosophers say be true,-that all men's actions proceed from one source; that as they assent from a persuasion that a thing is so, and dissent from a persuasion that it is not, and suspend their judgment from a persuasion that it is uncertain,-so likewise they seek a thing from a persuasion that it is for their advantage.
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Bear in mind that you should conduct yourself in life as at a feast.
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If anyone should tell you that a particular person has spoken critically of you, don't bother with excuses or defenses. Just smile and reply, "I guess that person doesn't know about all my other faults. Otherwise, he wouldn't have mentioned only these."