As we are fast approaching Christmas and all that holiday encompasses in our modern times, I thought it would be nice to remind ourselves of something important. I chose this particular quote, because try as we might, we may get caught up in the glitz and glamour of present giving and feel disappointed when we open those presents and see what is inside - or rather what isn't inside.
I know that many readers have recently celebrated Thanksgiving, which focuses heavily on gratitude but for those of us who don't celebrate it, this is also a nice time to be reminded of the things we have and for which we should be grateful.
Epictetus was a Greek Stoic philosopher, which explains quite a bit about this particular quote. The beauty of the Stoic philosophers was that they came from very different backgrounds, bringing their own unique experiences and up-bringings into their philosophy. Epictetus, for example, was born a slave, whereas Marcus Aurelius was an emperor. Some were wealthy, others were not. But it was their Stoic beliefs that they shared in common. They believed that they should focus their thoughts and energies "not on the external world but on what was solely in their own control: Their own thoughts, their own actions, their beliefs." (source: Daily Stoic). How great is that? So, now we have two bitesize bits of inspiration to focus on this week!
What is in your control? Your thoughts, your beliefs and your own actions. Don't let the behaviour or words of others bring you down during this special time of year. Take the time to reflect, give gratitude and remind yourself that you can control how you want your life to be.
I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas if that is something that you celebrate. If not, enjoy this time between the years to give thanks and reflect on how you would like 2022 to look for you.
Have a wonderful day, full of peace, love and quiet reflection.
Kirsty x
Comments
Post a Comment