Plain
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

The mind's wisdom says to whatever is happening: 'You are exactly what I was looking for.' Whatever the present moment brings, I will embrace it as the right material for both my reasoning mind and my desire to help others. The key point is this: everything that happens can either honor God or benefit people. Every event in the world naturally serves either God or humanity. Nothing is truly new or difficult to handle — everything is familiar and manageable.

Meditations, Book 7, Section 39 Book 7 · 53 of 58
Freedom & Control Doing The Right Thing
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

and her discretion to the present object; thou art that, which I sought for. For whatsoever it be, that is now present, shall ever be embraced by me as a fit and seasonable object, both for my reasonable faculty, and for my sociable, or charitable inclination to work upon. And that which is principal in this matter, is that it may be referred either unto the praise of God, or to the good of men. For either unto God or man, whatsoever it is that doth happen in the world hath in the ordinary course of nature its proper reference; neither is there anything, that in regard of nature is either new, or reluctant and intractable, but all things both usual and easy.

Meditations, Book 7, Section 39 Book 7 · 53 of 58
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor

You can live your whole life free and cheerful, even if people attack you with words or wild beasts tear apart your body. What could stop your mind from staying calm and peaceful? Your mind can judge things correctly and make good use of whatever happens. When trouble comes, your judgment can say to it: 'This is what you really are, this is your true nature — even though people's opinions make you seem like something else.'

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Calm Your Mind Freedom & Control
Marcus Aurelius — The Emperor Original

Free from all compulsion in all cheerfulness and alacrity thou mayst run out thy time, though men should exclaim against thee never so much, and the wild beasts should pull in sunder the poor members of thy pampered mass of flesh. For what in either of these or the like cases should hinder the mind to retain her own rest and tranquillity, consisting both in the right judgment of those things that happen unto her, and in the ready use of all present matters and occasions? So that her judgment may say, to that which is befallen her by way of cross: this thou art in very deed, and according to thy true nature: notwithstanding that in the judgment of opinion thou dust appear otherwise:

Meditations, Book 7, Section 39 Book 7 · 52 of 58
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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