Rules for a Balanced Life

Soo, I’m cleaning out my office today.  I figured today is as good as any before the big more.  Basically, it is me putting off packing up my apartment.  However, I do have to show my office pretty soon to the next grad coming in.  ANYWAYS, I found a scrap piece of paper that had some wisdom on it.  It just simply says: Rules for a Balanced Life by Epictetus, Stoic born in 55AD (some wisdom is, indeed, timeless).  I thought I would share:

  • Know what you can control and what you cannot.
  • Make full use of what happens to you.
  • Seeking to please is a perilous trap.
  • Approach life as a banquet.
  • Avoid adopting other people’s negative views.
  • Never suppress a generous impulse.
  • Character matters more than reputation.
  • Self-mastery depends upon self-honesty.
  • The virtuous are consistent.
  • Be suspicious of convention.
  • Wisdom is revealed through action, not talk.
  • No shame, no blame.
  • Pursue the good ardently.
  • Treasure your mind, cherish your reason, hold to your purpose.
  • Disregard what doesn’t concern you.

I think I shall hang this in a better place in my office next year as a daily reminder.