Quotes About Perspective

________ Do not wish that all things will go well with you, but that you will go well with all things.

When you feel burning desire for something that appears pleasureful, you are like a person under a spell. Instead of acting on impulse, take a step back—wait till the enchantment fades and you can see things as they are.

When you are by yourself you should call it peace and liberty, and consider yourself the gods' equal. When you're with a large group you shouldn't say you're in a mob or crowd, but a guest at a feast or festival – and in that spirit learn to enjoy it.

I see good people dying of cold and hunger.' Well, don't you see wicked people dying of luxury, pride and excess?

Instead of acting on impulse, take a step back—wait till the enchantment fades and you can see things as they are.

reflection will show that people are put off by nothing so much as what they think is unreasonable, and attracted to nothing more than what to them seems reasonable.

Cilv?ks necieš no notikumiem, bet gan no to interpret?cijas. (Epikt?ts, 50–135.g.)

Whenever someone helps or hinders you, or praises or criticizes you, remember that they see you only through the lens of their own impressions. If they act or speak from a warped perspective, they hurt themselves—not you.

Nature has given to men one tongue, but two ears, that we may hear from others twice as much as we speak.

But it's not right of Zeus to do this.' Why? Because he made you tough and proud, removed the stigma of evil from these circumstances and made it possible for you to be happy despite them? Or because he left the door open when things finally don't agree with you? Friend, take advantage of it, and stop blaming God.

People are not disturbed by things themselves, but by the views they take of those things.

I am richer than you, therefore my wealth is superior to yours'; and 'I am a better speaker, therefore my diction is better than yours.' But you are neither wealth nor diction.

We have two ears and one mouth-so that we can listen twice as much as we speak

End the habit of despising things that are not within your power

Whenever distress or displeasure arises in your mind, remind yourself, "This is only my interpretation, not reality itself." Then ask whether it falls within or outside your sphere of power. And, if it is beyond your power to control, let it go.

So in life our first job is this, to divide and distinguish things into two categories: externals I cannot control, but the choices I make with regard to them I do control

Continually remind yourself that you are a mortal being, and someday will die. This will inspire you not to waste precious time in fruitless activities, like stewing over grievances and striving after possessions.

If you have a favorite cup, remember that it is only a cup that you prefer—if it is broken, you can bear it.

It is not the events but our viewpoint toward events that is the determining factor. We ought to be more concerned about removing wrong thoughts from the mind than removing tumors and abscesses from the body.

Remind yourself, "What upsets this person is their opinion of what has happened. Another in the same circumstance, taking a different perspective, would react quite differently."   Do not share these thoughts with the grieving person. Sympathize with them—even cry with them. Your tears will be outward, not inward.

So when someone assents to a false proposition, be sure that they did not want to give their assent, since, as Plato says, 'Every soul is deprived of the truth against its will.'47 [5] They simply mistook for true something false.

Nothing is in reality either pleasant or unpleasant by nature but all things become so through habit.

It is not the person who insults or attacks you who torments your mind, but the view you take of these things.

The people before whom you bow and tremble – when I meet them, I treat them as if they were slaves.