Epictetus: Learn to live as a healthy person lives: with…

Many things we rely on are uncertain: health, income, praise, plans, and other people’s approval. It is understandable to feel shaken when any of them changes. Yet there is one capacity you can keep returning to: the ability to consider a situation and choose your response as well as you can. That ability is not omnipotence. It cannot guarantee the result you want. It can keep you from surrendering your character to the result. Build confidence there. When a problem appears today, do not begin by predicting disaster or seeking reassurance from every outside source. Begin by asking what facts you have, what principle applies, and what action is yours. You may need advice, rest, or assistance, but you can seek them deliberately. Trust grows when you repeatedly discover that you can meet uncertainty with thoughtfulness instead of panic.