Remember to conduct yourself in life as if at a banquet. As something being passed around comes to you, reach out your hand and take a moderate helping. Does it pass you by? Don’t stop it. It hasn’t yet come? Don’t burn in desire for it, but wait until it arrives in front of you. Act this way with children, a spouse, toward position, with wealth—one day it will make you worthy of a banquet with the gods.
—Epictetus, Enchiridion, 15
It’s mental health awareness week 2022 as I write this and today I have had a few conversations about mental well-being and in particular not striving for more. The quote above asks us to wait for our desires and to also be moderate in what we take.
We know that beyond a certain level of wealth happiness and satisfaction does not increase. There is a level at which more money or success does not bring more happiness and satisfaction. However we still witness people strive for more, be it money, success, status, latest clothes, promotion, followers or likes.
How many times have you heard a celebrity referred to by the number of followers they have? Success and recognition it seems is given and awarded by the amount of people who like you or think you are saying something good.
We are also in a world where “More” means success, more land, more money, more cars, better phone, better camera, expensive watch, more handbags etc etc. I myself have even thought I should try for more clicks and reads of my blogs!!!
But reading the passage above today and discussing it with someone and re-reading it. It reminds us that maybe we should be happy with our lot, be content with what we have, be aware that what you have right now is more than most.
If you live in a westernised world and are reading this on a device, in a house, or a coffee shop or in your car or on the bus, THEN you are incredibly lucky to be in your position.
So you could take time this week to focus on what you don’t have, what you need, what you crave or what others have over you!! or you could tread the other path. So to finish we turn to Marcus Aurelius
Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not, but reckon up the chief of the blessings you do possess, and then thankfully remember how you would crave for them if they were not yours.
Leading into the fire 