Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Why do these outside events distract you so much? Give yourself time to learn something worthwhile, and stop wandering around aimlessly. You must also watch out for another kind of wandering. Some people stay busy with work and effort, but they have no clear purpose to guide their actions and desires.

Meditations, Book 2, Section 4 Book 2 · 4 of 20
Calm Your Mind What Matters Most
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Why should any of these things that happen externally, so much distract thee? Give thyself leisure to learn some good thing, and cease roving and wandering to and fro. Thou must also take heed of another kind of wandering, for they are idle in their actions, who toil and labour in this life, and have no certain scope to which to direct all their motions, and desires.

Meditations, Book 2, Section 4 Book 2 · 4 of 20
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

Come on, soul, keep hurting yourself. Keep thinking you're worthless. Soon enough, your time to value yourself will be over. Each person's happiness comes from within. But look — your life is almost done, and you're still refusing to respect yourself. You're letting your happiness depend on what other people think and say.

Meditations, Book 2, Section 3 Book 2 · 3 of 20
Knowing Yourself What Matters Most
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Do, soul, do; abuse and contemn thyself; yet a while and the time for thee to respect thyself, will be at an end. Every man's happiness depends from himself, but behold thy life is almost at an end, whiles affording thyself no respect, thou dost make thy happiness to consist in the souls, and conceits of other men.

Meditations, Book 2, Section 3 Book 2 · 3 of 20
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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