Marcus Aurelius is a stoic philosopher and Emperor of the Roman Empire. He was born in Rome, but his family moved to Athens when he was a boy. As an adult, Marcus went back to Rome and became Emperor after the death of Antoninus Pius in 161 AD.
Marcus tried to live as simply as possible and avoid worldly distractions like power or wealth wherever he went. His interests were primarily intellectual such as philosophy and literature; however, he also enjoyed physical activities such as hiking through nature with friends.
His book Meditations is still read today for its practical advice on dealing with life’s challenges: be present-minded (mindful), take care of others first before yourself, stay in harmony with your body and mind to be at peace etc.
In this blog post, we look at some famous quotes from Marcus Aurelius and implement them in different aspects of our lives.
1. Use the present moment
Aurelius believed that peace of mind was achieved by living in the present moment, not dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. He wrote:
“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it, and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” – Marcus Aurelius.
2. What others say about you is none of your business
Marcus thought that other people’s opinions shouldn’t matter to you as much as they do. He writes:
“Don’t let anyone’s opinion determine how you feel about yourself, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” – Marcus Aurelius.
3. Life is a boat. Hold onto the sides
Sometimes life seems to be going well, and other times it doesn’t seem that simple. In those rough days, Aurelius can help you remember that nothing lasts forever:
“In a short time, you will have forgotten all things: soon all things will have forgotten you.” – Marcus Aurelius
4. You are but a drop in the ocean of life
Your life expectancy is nothing compared to the span of all time. Aurelius wrote:
“This mere breath you are now breathing—it is passing through eternity.” – Marcus Aurelius
5. Know your limits and stay within them
Know where your limits are, what you can and can’t do. Avoid trying to be something you’re not (e.g., an extrovert) because it will make you unhappy:
“You have the right to act as you please, provided you don’t harm the interests of others… If your action is not right, never fear; at least you are playing the game with rules.” – Marcus Aurelius.
6. Don’t fall for cheap praise or criticism
One of the biggest weaknesses most people have is getting caught up in the flattery and abuse from other people. The purpose it serves, however, is very small:
“An ignorant man’s reaction to criticism is anger…” – Marcus Aurelius.
7. What you’re capable of doing doesn’t depend on other people
There will always be those who try to discourage you from pursuing your dreams, but that shouldn’t stop you:
“You can cut yourself off from the Good if you want; you are allowed to step away from it. But if someone drags you there – and I imagine someone will try – you should offer no resistance.” – Marcus Aurelius.
8. Don’t waste time on unnecessary things
It can be so easy to get distracted from what’s truly important in life. The next time you find yourself about to do something really silly, remember this quote:
“Don’t act as if you were going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over you. While you live, while it is in your power, be good.” – Marcus Aurelius.
9. Treat yourself with the same respect you’d treat an important person in your life
If we don’t love ourselves and think highly of ourselves, how can we expect others? Aurelius wrote:
“Treat yourself often with gentleness and reverence.” – Marcus Aurelius.
10. Life is too short to spend chasing materialistic things
Don’t get caught up in the race for wealth and social status. Instead, embrace a simple life:
“Your life is short. Therefore, you must turn to profit the present with the aid of reason and justice. This is to run your course smoothly.” – Marcus Aurelius.
11. You get out what you put in (no more, no less)
You will be repaid for whatever effort you make toward achieving your goals:
“Forget everything else; keep hold of this alone and remember it: Each one of us lives only now, this brief instant. The rest has been lived already or is impossible to see.” – Marcus Aurelius.
12. Don’t be too proud of yourself (or too ashamed)
Why would you let other people’s opinions determine how you feel about yourself? Because they don’t matter, remember? Aurelius wrote:
“Don’t think about things that are beyond you, but run to do what is within your power.” – Marcus Aurelius.
13. Be grateful for the little things in life
The simplest things can provide us with great joy and be something we should appreciate rather than take for granted:
“You have been a citizen of the universe! How many suns and moons and stars have seen your day’s-work on this earth of yours? All of them are but driblets from the mighty river of life which is winding its way out into immensity.” – Marcus Aurelius.
14. It’s only life. There will be no more of it after you’re gone
This is a very daunting thing to consider. Aurelius wrote:
“Lean upon the ever-enduring universe, and welcome whatever may come.” – Marcus Aurelius.
15. Your life is yours alone (and vice versa)
You’re the only person in existence that can make your life what you want it to be:
“You must turn inward and tend your end, and rejoice or mourn alone, and develop a life of simplicity and harmony with yourself.” – Marcus Aurelius.
16. There’s more to passing time than just waiting for it to pass
One thing you can do is fill the moments leading up to your death with happiness. Aurelius wrote:
“Remember that the whole of time is but a moment, and that, if perchance infinite, still it does not exist as long as you are here.” – Marcus Aurelius.
17. Be mindful to live in the present moment
It’s all well and good to have aspirations for the future or memories of the past, but you need to remember that only now exists:
“How much time he gains who does not look to see what his neighbour says or does or thinks.” – Marcus Aurelius
18. Don’t expect life to be a bed of roses
Realise that although there will be moments of great happiness and joy, they can’t last forever. We must learn to accept this and be prepared for whatever life throws at us:
“Variety is the spice of life, that gives it all its flavour.” – Marcus Aurelius
19. You can’t control what happens to you (or anyone else), but you can control how you respond to things
Appreciate the fact that we can’t always get what we want and learn to respond appropriately:
“Do it or don’t do it. But whatever you do, you must be clear in your mind about exactly what you’re doing.” – Marcus Aurelius.
20. Be true to yourself (and other people)
Don’t try to change yourself to please other people. Aurelius wrote:
“Life is opinion.” – Marcus Aurelius
21. Accept your mistakes and move on
You can’t erase the past, but you can learn from it, accept it for what it is and try not to make the same mistake again:
“I see no fault that I may not have committed myself. There but for the grace of God go I.” – Marcus Aurelius.
22. Do good things when you can
Carry out acts of goodwill when you feel able to, even if your resources aren’t great:
“Live a good life… If there are gods and they are, then they will not care how devout you have been but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by.” – Marcus Aurelius.
23. Don’t give in when things get tough
Face whatever it is head-on, and don’t let fear dictate your decisions:
“In a gathering of people, who is there I must be? In action, in conversation, at leisure, in all things, I must be there where it can be done with the most sense of personal dignity.” – Marcus Aurelius.
24. Don’t bring other people down just because you’re unhappy
The best way to deal with something is to smile and let your happiness rub off on others:
“Ideas poison life when they are in it without being part of it, just as a viper puts off its poison by rubbing its saliva into the wound.” – Marcus Aurelius.
25. Be grateful for what you have but also think about how to make things better for yourself and others
This is the golden mean :
“You need to avoid certain things in your train of thought: everything random, every irrelevant idea that comes to you unbidden – now is the time for work, not fun.” – Marcus Aurelius.
Thanks so much for stopping by, have a fantastic day!