9 Ideas from Seneca to achieve a life of tranquility
Life is a wonderful journey and you should enjoy every moment of it.
Everyone wants to live a good life. Unfortunately, this is becoming more and more difficult in a world where stress is omnipresent. For all those who find it difficult to lead a peaceful and happy life, Stoicism is the philosophical trend to discover.
Seneca's work deals at length with this notion of the good life, through what he calls a life of tranquility. Most of his ideas can be found in his book “On the Shortness of Life”.
I came out with 9 great ideas that will help you focus on what matters while facing the different challenges that will come your way. Seneca will also guide you in the mindset to adapt to better face the changes inherent to life. Finally, he will teach you how to react in the right way to unexpected and confusing situations.
Make the most of who you are.
We all have a true nature that cannot be changed indefinitely to fit into a box. Rather than trying to be someone else to fit in with what is expected of you, you must take advantage of your true nature.
Get to know your personality and your strengths and weaknesses.
From there, you should use these elements to the fullest in the areas you target. Of course, your strengths and weaknesses should be used to better define the areas in which you will have the best chance to succeed in life.
Never go to extremes.
There is nothing worse than falling into extremes in life. Whether it be in the positive or the negative. Extremes are not sustainable from Seneca's point of view. Instead, you must strive for moderation in all things.
This is true in the professional as well as in the private sphere.
People who remain moderate avoid ups and downs in mood, which allows them to lead a more tranquil life. This in turn allows them to remain motivated and successful over time.
Resist the temptation to complain.
You will face many challenges in your life. The first temptation we have when faced with a new or unexpected challenge is to complain. This attitude will reflect negatively on everything else in your life.
You must resist the temptation to complain.
Get used to the circumstances so you can better accept them and take advantage of them in your life. In every situation, you have the choice between pessimism and optimism.
Of course, Seneca advises you to see the glass half full. This is how you will live a life of tranquility.
See challenges as opportunities.
When faced with a challenge, you have a choice to make. The first is to turn your back and stay in your comfort zone. The second, which is the right one, is to immediately see this challenge as a unique opportunity to get out of your comfort zone and reach that famous growth zone where everything becomes possible.
If you don't have everything you need to succeed in this challenge, go for it anyway. You will learn things that will help you in the future. Always look at things positively to lead a peaceful life.
Your failures will be seen for what they are: lessons to learn to conquer your future successes.
Embrace change to be among those who benefit from it.
The world is changing whether you like it or not. There is a famous saying that you must have heard before: “Adapt or Die”.
Rather than resisting change for fear of having to evolve, you must embrace change to be among those who will benefit the most. The sooner you evolve, the better for you.
This will help you avoid staying in a comfort zone where nothing exceptional will happen to you.
Take time to enjoy a great friendship.
Friendship is built around two strong axes: sharing and loyalty. It's hard to find true friends, but when you do, share knowledge, opinions, secrets, and laughter with them.
Take time to enjoy these moments that make life more enjoyable. It can only do you good to surround yourself with positive friends who share your desire to live a life of tranquility as Seneca advocated.
It will strengthen your peace of mind.
Never take yourself too seriously.
Life is so much more enjoyable when you take things lightly and with humor. To do this, you should never take yourself too seriously. No matter how successful you are in life, try to find humor in everything that happens to you.
That way, you will always see opportunities, even in the most difficult times, you may face.
This brings us to this quote from Seneca that you should keep in mind constantly:
“It is more civilized to make fun of life than to bewail it.”
Stay away from pointless situations.
Your time is precious. It is the most precious resource you have at your disposal on Earth. Therefore, you must avoid wasting your time on pointless activities or situations.
Make all your activities meaningful to you and the future you want to build.
Bring it back to the present time, it will push you to avoid wasting your time on social networks that only seek to constantly capture your attention for their profits.
Make your own choices in how you use your time.
Take time to rest to last.
Life could not be considered good for Seneca if you have to be constantly on the go. Give yourself time to rest. Take breaks so you can last longer.
Remember that life is a marathon, not a sprint. Seneca understood this even in his day. This also means making your sleep a top priority. Focus on your well-being.
Final Thoughts
Life is a wonderful journey if you appreciate every moment of it. Seneca's philosophy summarized in 9 major ideas will help you lead a life of tranquility. A good life that will not prevent you from reaching your most ambitious goals, but all in moderation to appreciate all the moments whether they are good or more difficult.
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