The Trials and Tribulations of Life

Look well into thyself,

There is a source of strength,

Which will always spring up.

(Marcus Aurelius)

Marcus Aurelius had 5 life changing quotes that he thought we should follow:

1 Rise early and get to work

2 We can choose, we can train ourselves.

3 Obstacles are better seen as fuel-Giving us the opportunity to embrace the obstacles of life.

4 No problem, no challenge so big thtat it is an opportunity.

5 To endure and prevail is a good thing.

I studied Philosophy at university and I learnt many areas such as ethics, political philosophy, metaphysics, existentialism, philosophy of art and thoroughly enjoyed these areas. As well as learning these topics I also honed my analytical, critical thinking and writing skills. It involved some extremely deep thinking on hard topics but what I learnt most of all was from The Stoics. Some of the questions have been:

1 How do I plan ahead?

2 How do I improve?

3 How do I prepare?

4 How do I develop habits?

5 How do I create autonomy?

6 How do I deal with uncertainty?

One the most important things I have learned while studying the Stoics is from Seneca:

1 We suffer more often in imagination than in reality

2 Stay in the presence

3 Importance of adversity.

4 Look to challenge ourselves.

5 Be careful who we surround ourself with.

Aurelius followed 9 Stoicrules for a better life

1 Put people first

2 Another path always opens

3 Take it step by step

4 Discard your anxiety.

5 Well begun is haf done.

6 Be strict with yourself

7 Don't resent people.

8 Ask yourself. "Is this essential"?

9 Remember these mantra's:

Amor Fati is "Love of one's fate"

It's about what you do for other people

Memento Mori

(Aurelius)

All too often we waste our lives away. Tomorrow I will do this, next month I will do that, and so on but what we fail to realise and what the Stoics teach us is Memento Mori which in essence means 'Remember you must die'.The average person lives for 28251 days that is not a lot when you actually analyse this number. The stoics believed you should choose what you want to do wisely.The worst thing you can do is not do the things you want to do because all we have is this present moment. Before I studied Stoicism I was like that. I'd put off everything until another day and yes I still do this sometimes. But I am trying to do the things I want to now. It has been a deep learning curve for me in many ways.

My life has had many traumatic moments and I have struggled, and still do like many of us. But I have grown stronger from my experiences and realise I can survive anything with the support of those I love. Of course life is a rollercoaster but I believe like Seneca, Epictetus and Aurelius all those thousands of years ago we can live a far happier life if we live each day as if it's our last. I will give Seneca the final say.

Seneca's 8 Tips for Mastering yourself:

1 Seek challenges

2 Focus on your response

3 Choose your influencers wisely

4 Be a master of yourself

5 Say yes to what matters

6 Do the hard things

7 Protect your time

Seneca also said "He who does good to another does good also to himself." "As long as you live, keep learning to live."

"True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence on the future." (Seneca)

Alexis Mundy

Marcus Aurelius