Marcus Aurelius

"Remind yourself that to change your mind and follow him who sets you right is to be nonetheless the free agent that you were before."

"Take away your opinion, and then there is taken away the complaint."

"It is impossible for a man to be unhappy who does not oppress others."

"Men seek retreats for themselves, houses in the country, sea-shores, and mountains; and thou too art wont to desire such things very much. But all this is very unphilosophical, when thou canst, at any moment, retire into thyself."

"Your life is shaped by the thoughts you choose."

"Nothing happens to the wise man against his expectation."

"The soul becomes dyed with the colour of its thoughts."

"When you wake up in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."

"Everything that exists is in a manner the seed of that which will be."

"Time is a river of passing events, and strong is its current."

"No one has ever lived or can live without stumbling."

"The stone in the middle of the road shows us which way to go."

"If you have assumed a character above your strength, you have both played an ill part in the play and lost the character which you might have maintained."

"An unimaginable darkness may be coming, but we must make of ourselves what we can."

"Do you have the discipline to give up distractions and mediocrity and actually commit to excellence?"

"To understand the nature of the universe, understand yourself first."

"The way to the abyss is inward, and only from within can you emerge whole."

"Settle yourself in solitude, and you will come to see that quiet words have power."

"All we have is our thoughts, and the power to direct them."

"Not to assume it is impossible because you find it hard yourself; but to recognize that if it is humanly possible, you can do it too."

"You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength."

"Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one."

"The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way."

"You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think."

"How much trouble he avoids who does not look to what his neighbor says or does or thinks."

"Forget everything. Start fresh. Return to the fundamentals of your principles."

"The universe is transformation; life is opinion."

"Choose not to be harmed — and you won't be harmed. Really. Nothing external can harm you."

"Stop whatever you're doing for a moment and ask yourself: Am I afraid of death, or of not living at all?"

"Confine yourself to the present."