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Some things are up to us [eph' hêmin] and some things are not up to us. Our opinions are up to us, and our impulses, desires, aversions–in short, whatever is our own doing. Our bodies are not up to us, nor are our possessions, our reputations, or our public offices, or, that is, whatever is not our own doing.

Epictetus

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Epictetus
Philosopher
Epictetus of Hierapolis
Things
Possession
Aversion
Short
Impulses
Office
Possessions
Opinion
Opinions
Public
Impulse
Whatever
Desires
Aversions
Desire
Reputation
Reputations
Body
Bodies
Offices

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Confidence in nonsense is a requirement for the creative process.
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I have to die. If it is now, well then I die now if later, then now I will take my lunch, since the hour for lunch has arrived - and dying I will tend to later.
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Be free from grief not through insensibility like the irrational animals, nor through want of thought like the foolish, but like a man of virtue by having reason as the consolation of grief.
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Within our control are our own opinions, aspirations, and desires and the demons that distract us from these goals. Outside of our control are such things as what kind of body we have, whether or not we are born into wealth, and how we are regarded by others.
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If thou rememberest that God standeth by to behold and visit all that thou doest whether in the body or in the soul, thou surely wilt not err in any prayer or deed and thou shalt have God to dwell with thee.
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What hurts this person is not the occurrence itself, for another person might not feel oppressed by this situation at all. What is hurting this person is the response he or she has uncritically adopted. It is not a demonstration of kindness or friendship to the people we care about to join them in indulging in wrongheaded, negative feelings.
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Of pleasures, those which occur most rarely give the most delight.
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Don't regard what anyone says of you, for this, after all, is no concern of yours.
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Law intends indeed to do service to human life, but it is not able when men do not choose to accept her services for it is only in those who are obedient to her that she displays her special virtue.
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Never say of anything I have lost it, only say that I have given it back.
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Silence is safer than speech.
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Reason is not measured by size or height, but by principle.
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If you would cure anger, do not feed it. Say to yourself: 'I used to be angry every day then every other day now only every third or fourth day.' When you reach thirty days offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the gods.
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Getting distracted by trifles is the easiest thing in the world… Focus on your main duty
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We should do everything both cautiously and confidently at the same time.
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Difficulty shows what men are.
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