“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”Marcus Aurelius · Gânduri către sine · 180 · Cartea II, 5
It is not the event that decides your state, but the meaning you give it.
Marcus Aurelius, an emperor who lived through wars and betrayals, discovered that the only ground over which he had total control was his own mind. Two people can suffer the same loss: one reads it as an ending, the other as a change of direction. The difference lies not in the event but in the thought that accompanies it. That is why tending your thoughts is daily work, not a luxury.
Why it matters It helps anyone who feels their thoughts are being carried off by anxiety or comparison with others.