from Phil Van Treuren
Marcus Aurelius wrote “The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts.”
Now, you may be thinking “well, duh, that’s pretty obvious.”
But Marcus didn’t write those words just to remind himself to think happy thoughts. Practicing Stoicism means more than just positive thinking!
Stoics know that it takes a lot of practice to stop letting fear and anger and other bad emotions block the logical thinking that we’re all capable of.
Marcus was reminding himself that we have to train our minds to examine all of our impulses and and initial reactions. The way we think and define the world around us is a habit, and we can’t change our habits without real effort.
Every situation, no matter how bad it seems, contains some opportunity for you to become a better person. So the next time you notice negative thoughts in your head, remember that you really do have the power to change the color of your impressions.
Not by fooling yourself, but by deciding you’re going to make the best of everything that life puts in your path.