“understand that every event is indifferent and nothing to you, of whatever sort it may be; for it will be in your power to make a right use of it, and this no one can hinder.”
― Epictetus, The Enchiridion
This quote, taken from Epictetus' Enchiridion symbolizes the importance of accepting whatever situation befalls you. Not only the process of acceptance but also the willingness to learn, grow and thrive from it.
There is a positive in every single situation you find yourself in; all you need to do is search for it. The more often we go through the process of searching, the easier it will be to deal with the negativity we may find sprung upon us on an inopportune basis.
This learning from our mistakes or pain is what Epictetus is referring to when he states:
'it will be in your power to make a right use of it'
The right use of it is to recognise the opportunity for growth, to learn and to move on, becoming a more enlightened and understanding person.
This is necessary for all situations in life, whether that be in business, relationships, friendships, politics, self-development there is a lot that we can take away from the pain we may feel in life.
This has been something that has come up quite a lot for me personally over the past few months. I've been in situations where I find myself uncomfortable, or something has quite literally not gone to plan, but what I have grown to understand is that life is all about how to respond to the altercations we can find ourselves in. Our response should be nonchalant towards the negative, in fact; it should be a positive response because it is no secret that we learn more from the tough life lessons as opposed to the good situations we find ourselves in.
Be positive, be mindful, and grow from your situations and you will live a happier, more fulfilled life no matter what your circumstances.
Trust me, it is possible!
Have a great week!
Adam x
Epictetus
Born into slavery 55AD Epictetus is the famous Stoic of whom is most influenced by God, or the Greek Gods as they were in those times. His slave master was very fond of him and allowed him to study philosophy in his spare time and this is when he was exposed to the ‘Stoa’ teachings by his mentor Musonius Rufus. Epictetus gained freedom from slavery shortly after Emperor Nero’s death and subsequently began teaching philosophy. He taught stoicism for the rest of his life, even when forced to leave Rome as philosophers were banned in Rome, he simply moved to Greece and taught for his remaining days until he died in 135AD. His tao is spread over a few books, each of which are harder reads when compared to Aurelius or Seneca’s writings.