The Stoics accepted that life could be cruel and random. They knew people were stupid and annoying. They did not deny that death was ever present.
You might think the result of these beliefs was a dark and dour worldview. Certainly, many critics of the Stoics have registered that–or potential fans of the Stoics have turned away after a few passages of Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations or Epictetus’ writings.
Regardless of how realistic they might have been in their assessment of the world, the Stoics were, on the whole, not despondent. They worked hard at their jobs. They created beautiful art. They went to the theater. They got married. They tried to make a positive difference in the lives of the people around them. You want to call Marcus Aurelius resigned and pessimistic? The guy buried six of his children…and continued to get out of bed each morning. That is a statement of profound hopefulness and meaning. As well as fortitude and character.
Whatever it is, whatever you’re going through, whatever it’s forced you to understand about this thing called life–well, it is not at odds with the ability, with the need, to just keep going. To put one foot in front of the other. To do your best. To make a tiny contribution.
The Stoics managed. So can you.
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If you want to get a sense of how Marcus Aurelius got out of bed each morning, we recommend this motivational video we put together of his routine, which is one of the most-watched videos on the Daily Stoic YouTube channel (here’s a version of Ryan reading it too).
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