Stay Calm in Uncertain Times | Marcus Aurelius
It's critical to know how to maintain composure when things feel out of control, and the final of Rome's five virtuous emperors, Marcus Aurelius, provides us with numerous lessons in his Meditations.
You can learn to accept uncertainty and maintain your composure in most circumstances by putting the following five virtues into practice.
Acceptance
The first virtue is acceptance.
Marcus wants us to accept things the way they are and not deny reality.
In his Meditations, he wrote,
"Something happens to you.
Good.
It was meant for you by nature, woven into the pattern from the beginning."
You'll find it easier to accept things if you think that everything that occurs to you is meant to happen.
You will also feel a little more at ease as soon as you accept your current circumstances and realize that this is not an accident and that you are destined to be where you are.
Changing your future begins with accepting the present.
The second virtue Marcus talks about is mindfulness.
Mindfulness
In Meditations, he says,
"Forget everything else.
Keep hold of this alone and remember it: Each of us lives only now, this brief instant.
The rest has been lived already, or is impossible to see."
Marcus argues that since the past is only a memory and the future is unpredictable, we should concentrate on the here and now and our next course of action.
What you are working on at the moment is certain, and if you accomplish it to the best of your abilities and with the greatest of intentions, that is all that you can do. The rest will be handled by fate.
You'll begin to feel more at ease if you concentrate on the here and now.
You'll get rid of the tension that stems from worrying about the past that cannot be changed or the future that is unknown.
Focusing on what you are working on right now is the most productive use of your time.
The third virtue Marcus talks about is discrimination.
Discrimination
Which means being able to differentiate between the things that are in your control and the things that are not.
He writes,
"Remember, nothing belongs to you but your flesh and blood—and nothing else is under
your control."
The things that you can manage the most are your thoughts, feelings, and behavior, or how you express yourself.
You are in charge of how you present yourself to the outside world, but you have no say over how others will see you.
Even if you say something with the best of intentions, misinterpretation is always possible.
A song, movie, or book can take years to complete, but you can't make someone like it.
You cannot stop it from raining, even if you dress warmly.
You are in charge of your behavior and how you express yourself, but the outside world does not govern you.
When you realize and accept this, you will feel a little calmer, knowing that most things
are out of your control and your only responsibility is to focus on your own actions.
The fourth virtue Marcus talks about is judgment.
Judgment
He writes,
"…don't treat anything as important except doing what your nature demands, and accepting
what Nature sends you."
Marcus warns us to be smart about the things we judge as important.
He believes that the truly important thing in life is to live virtuously, in pursuit
of "justice, honesty, self-control, and courage…"
Or in other words: being a good person.
When we judge the wrong things as important, such as wealth, fame, or looking good in front
of others, we tend to feel more anxious, because these things are largely out of our control
and depend on other people.
But when we value the right things as important, such as living virtuously and being a good
person, we feel more calm and peaceful, because being a good person is always under our control.
The fifth virtue Marcus talks about is adaptability.
Adaptability
He writes,
"Frightened of change?
But what can exist without it?
What's closer to nature's heart?
Can you take a hot bath and leave the firewood as it was?
Eat food without transforming it?
Can any vital process take place without something being changed?
Can't you see?
It's just the same with you—and just as vital to nature."
The universe is characterized by change.
Everything is always changing and moving.
You will fall behind if you stand stationary since the world is always moving forward.
It is not natural to be resistant to change.
You must be prepared to adapt to shifting circumstances if they occur.
You'll feel more at ease once you acknowledge that change is both inevitable and necessary for both the planet and yourself.
Conclusion
So, by practicing these five virtues—acceptance, mindfulness, discrimination, judgment, and
adaptability—you can be more like Marcus Aurelius, the last of the five good emperors
of Rome, embracing change and staying calm—even in uncertain times.