November and December are my favourite times of year, and yet I find myself starting to worry about the year ahead. I ask questions like - should I keep working in the job that I am in? Are we making the right decision about such-and-such? Will we be alright financially? What about emotionally? I tend to ruin this favourite time of year with all of my worries, most of which are pointless and as Epictetus points out, everything that happens will be good and useful for me.
This is such a wonderful quote to remember when our fears for the future are starting to run away from us. It reminds us to focus on the present and accept what comes as being the best possible thing for us (as hard as that may be to believe sometimes). Epictetus reminds us that some concern for the future is fine, we should plan and be prepared, but by being overly concerned or worrying unnecessarily then we are missing out on the best parts of today.
It also helps us to face our future with a level of acceptance, either good or bad, it is what is best for us. We were never guaranteed that our lives would be easy or without trials, however how we choose to respond to these times in our lives is up to us. As for me, I'm choosing to make some plans for next year, but to spend the most of my time enjoying today and letting the future take care of itself. After all, even with all my plans and preparation, really so much of what happens is outside of my control. And it is best for me to let go of those things that I can't control and accept what comes with a positive attitude and a hope for a brighter future.
I hope you all have a wonderful week. Thanks for stopping by,
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