Top 10 Best Quotes from Marcus Aurelius

You have more control over your mind than you think. Yes, things do happen, but it's up to you to react to the situation whether if it's in your control or not. If you have pessimistic ways of thinking or thoughts of ill will, you have the motivation to stop these thought patterns right now. The more you align yourself with those thoughts, the more you are accustomed to sticking to those patterns. Think about it: your brain is like plastic - plastic is easily flexible and so does your brain as it is able to adapt with the environment. Even when it takes effort, identify the source of what makes you feel that way, acknowledge those thoughts, question why you feel that way, then try replacing those with balanced thoughts, then later more positive thoughts. This would slowly accustom you to having a more balanced perspective.

Some of us would attempt to control events in order to align with their expectations. In some cases we don't have the power at all to change events, especially those that are out of our control, but you have control to change your pattern of thinking, how you react to things, and how we make decisions. This doesn't mean we can always avoid subjecting to impulsivity, but being aware of what you are capable with and harnessing the best of it is what the quote is trying to say.

When we criticize someone, we may not realize it but you may be projecting your own similar flaws onto them. Whenever we see someone that's the opposite of you, we tend to react to them negatively, but never consider to examine ourselves before criticizing someone for their flaws. You have to keep your house clean or else no one will be convinced of your thoughts as you may be seen as a hypocrite.

This is definitely true. Although I think it's important how you were intending to criticize someone if you were intending to tell them what a pathetic excuse for a human being they are then you had better think long and hard about whether they really deserve it.

However if intended to criticize someone politely and constructively then you probably don't have to worry as much.

It's human nature to make simple things complicated. In fact, you only need food, water, and a roof on your head in order to live a satisfying life. It's those materialistic possessions that makes us want more and more. There are some poor people who struggle to obtain those basic needs, but still remain themselves content. Happiness is gained when you found meaning of life, and being grateful of whatever you have.

Anger is a pretty tricky emotion to deal with, as anger can shut off one person's clear way of thinking. It's easier than said to be aware of the causes that evoke anger. Although this is a fancy saying of encouraging people to "breathe", think about the times when you're angry, then think about what could've been better to deal with that emotion, or how to avoid the situation that made you feel that way, and how would you "let it out" in more appropriate situations.

This can be applied in the context of both failure and hardship. Whenever you worked hard on something to expect something that makes you feel bitter (e.g failure), don't see this as an hopeless disadvantage. Rather, take this as an opportunity to learn from your mistakes. Going through hardship can leave you some valuable lessons in the future, hence the words "good fortune" in the end of the quote.

A more oblique saying but still holds a very strong message. This quote is saying that we are all going to end up in the same destination: death. The word "incense" can be interpreted as life. No matter how soon or later we die it does not make a difference. This is not limited to us, but everything as well.

Whenever hardship or failure happens, it is your own will to choose how to react to it accordingly. If you react to it in a negative way, then it can seem like a step backward. But choosing to react to it realistically - such as acknowledging and learning through the problem can lead to a closer step of success. There are difficult situations that we can't accept, but we can always consider there's a valuable lesson behind them.

Continued: – all of them due to the offenders' ignorance of what is good or evil. But for my part I have long perceived the nature of good and its nobility, the nature of evil and its meanness, and also the nature of the culprit himself, who is my brother (not in the physical sense, but as a fellow creature similarly endowed with reason and a share of the divine); therefore none of those things can injure me, for nobody can implicate me in what is degrading. Neither can I be angry with my brother or fall foul of him; for he and I were born to work together, like a man's two hands, feet or eyelids, or the upper and lower rows of his teeth. To obstruct each other is against Nature's law – and what is irritation or aversion but a form of obstruction.
It's always expected that you will meet close-minded people who wound potentially insult you. This doesn't mean you are the only one who is experiencing this, and that's okay. But by no means do not let their words eat you, as they ...more

Saying that even with the pressure of negative people, focus on setting yourself as a good example, and not to react similarly as to your enemy's reactions.

Simply put, push yourself outside your comfort zone, take risks, and live a life you want to live, even with the obstacles you may encounter along with it.

Self-explanatory piece of common sense that we should all pursue.

There are times that you will be intolerant to the point that you'll seek loneliness. People do have conflicting views. The best thing you can deal with those people is to either tolerate or guide them to a better path.

Full quote: "Wipe out the imagination. Stop the pulling off the strings. Confine thyself to the present. Understand well what happens either to thee or to another. Divide and distribute every object into the causal (formal) and the material. Think of thy last hour. Let the wrong which is done by a man stay there where the wrong was done."

Basically saying to rely on yourself, and not to seek validation from other people.