“In a word, neither death, nor exile, nor pain, nor anything of this kind is the real cause of our doing or not doing any action, but our inward opinions and principles.” – Epictetus

(My Thoughts:)

Absolutely true saying by Epictetus and we need to realize this as it is very important. For example, maybe you have a bad life or you think of it that way. But what is the solution: “Perhaps you need to look at it in a different way of it, in a different perspective.” What you think bothers you or what you think is a problem, perhaps it just isn’t. Maybe what you think is a problem, it is a solution to somebody else. Therefore, you just need to realize to look at it differently rather than the way you are looking at it.

The Damage is Done

Sure, you may feel like this as at the end it is your decision. However, overtime you will realize that your decision is just an illusion to a feeling towards words. When you overcome what is causing you to feel down, you will realize that Epictetus was absolutely right. Until then, you have your own expectations about the words. Still at the end, you will conquer it and understand that it is just feelings you put behind words that was already created before you. This comes from doubt and often dislike about something about yourself.

There is No Wrong

As much as something could bother you, there just is no wrong about it. You come to find this out as the times go by on its own. You may think that heaven won’t be there to help you. But, after you conquer it, you realize that heaven gave you what you were going through on purpose to build you stronger for bigger things you will come across later in life. Therefore, suffering has a prize at the end which comes bigger than what anyone could ever experience in life.