5 Marcus Aurelius Quotes To Boost Your Hope in Life

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.

Life has its ups and downs. Things don’t always go as planned. You have days when you feel strong and ready. You have days when life punches you in the face.

We need some hope in those challenging moments. Something to give us the push we need.

Marcus Aurelius was a Roman Emperor from 161 to 180. A well-respected Emperor and Stoic Philosopher. He had a personal journal where he wrote stuff down.

He wrote to remind himself how to survive through difficult times.

The book was published after his death and is known as The Meditations Of Marcus Aurelius.

Let’s consider some things he has to say without diving deep into his life.

These quotes are from the book.

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.”

Guard your thoughts. If you want to be happy, you must stop thinking negatively. It’s impossible not to have negative thoughts. There are moments when you think you’re shit and worthless.

It’s a lie. It’s all in your head.

Marcus says we shouldn’t entertain thoughts that make us weak. Entertain means don’t believe them to be true.

If you want to be happy, focus your mind on positive things. When negative thoughts arrive, reframe them into something positive.

Let’s say you’re trying to learn a new skill but can’t seem to get it. Learning takes time, but your mind might tell you you’re not good enough.

Reframe this thought into something positive: “I am not good at this yet, but with time I’ll keep learning and get it.”

“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it, and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”

Do you worry about things you have no control over? Have you ever been cranky when stuck in traffic?

We get pissed off by things outside of our control.

These things are external. The pain we get from them is due to the degree to which we let them hurt us.

External events have no power over you except you let them. When things happen outside your control, learn to take control of your mind and thoughts.

You can control how you feel by changing your mind about something. You can control your reaction in any situation.

If you are stuck in traffic, you know it won’t hurt you in any way, and soon you will be out of there.

“Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.”

Stop worrying about the future. The future has not arrived.

Instead of worrying about what your life could be, focus on working to create the life you want. Set goals and work towards them.

Don’t be too hard on yourself. The present moment is all that matters because it is only in the present that you can take action.

“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself in your way of thinking.”

Coming from someone who had power and resources at his disposal. He is telling us that we need very little to make us happy.

Happiness isn’t found in the latest Apple product. Happiness isn’t seen in a Ferrari. The happiness you seek is within you.

You have the power to make yourself happy by changing the way you think. Choose to focus on positive things.

Be grateful for the things you have in your life. Focus on improving yourself every day. Do the things that give you joy.

“I have often wondered how every man loves himself more than all the rest of men but sets less value on his own opinion of himself than on the opinion of others.”

Do you allow the opinions of others to affect you?

Everybody, including you, has opinions about one thing or another. It doesn’t mean the views are valid.

The same goes for other people’s opinions about you. You don’t have to take it. Yes, they may criticize you and say bad stuff about you. But it doesn’t matter.

Learn not to allow opinions to affect the way you view yourself.

Final Thoughts

The Meditations was never meant to be published. It was written as a personal journal. But today, we have access to the wisdom of the great emperor.

Do some more research on Marcus Aurelius. These are only a few of the many he wrote down. Apply these quotes in your life.

They can serve as a reminder during tough times.

Remember that you have control over your mind and not outside events. The happiness you seek is within you.