Simple Guidelines

“In your actions, don’t procrastinate. In your conversations, don’t confuse. In your thoughts, don’t wander. In your soul, don’t be passive or aggressive. In your life, don’t be all about business.” — Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 8.51

Can you live by such a simple set of guidelines? Can you adopt such a clear principled approach to each day? Doesn’t it seem as though your life would be more enjoyable through practicing this daily? What if it were, in fact, this simple? Simple does not mean easy. Even if this is a hard practice to install, doesn’t the prospect of a more simplistic way seem like a worthwhile endeavor?

Write this wisdom on the inside of your eyelids and see it as you prepare to attack each area of your life. With every task and with every person you interact with, put these simple principles to work for you and see if there is truth behind Marcus’ wisdom.