Advice from the Ancients: What Aurelius taught us about living in the present

This is what Marcus Aurelius taught us about living in the present

If you’ve been following my mini-series Advice from the Ancients, you’ll know that I’m fascinated by authors from the distant past, especially those who teach us about later life, how to live it to the fullest and living in the present.

I’m a big fan of Seneca and his work on De Brevitate Vitae, the shortness of life and I’ve learned a great deal from the Roman philosopher, Cicero, who viewed old age as “the crown of life, the final act in the play…”  Cicero’s book On Old Age was breathtakingly ahead of its time and as relevant then, as it is today.

This month, I’d like to share with you some words of wisdom from Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor and Philosopher, who was born in 121 AD and died in 180 AD.  Aurelius had a private notebook, which he ordered to be burnt on his death. Thankfully, it wasn’t and Meditations has come to be an inspirational text for generation after generation.

My favourite quote is this; “It’s not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.”  It focuses the mind and encourages us to think about living in the present moment, without fearing the past or the future.  Aurelius was a great believer in positive thinking, in the power the mind has over the way we all live our lives.

I really hope you enjoy this talk I’ve recorded for you in which I share more of Aurelius’ wisdom and positive thinking, including why we should all embrace our amazing lives.