6 Pleasant Marcus Aurelius Quotes To Bake Happiness Into Your Life

If you’re not happy, it’s not your path.

Marcus Aurelius has written a total of 400+ quotes.

Despite Aurelius’ wealthy upbringing, his philosophical dedication confuses many readers to date.

If we look closely, philosophical lessons come from those who suffered many hardships. But Marcus Aurelius’ never seemed the one who shed a tear.

To this date, this fact surprises people.

Marcus Aurelius was a promising student.

Aurelius learned that happiness & contentment come from a healthy mindset. When the pandemic came, Marcus started exploring himself from within.

According to him, a wealthy emperor and a poor disciple can stay happy through one principle: calmness.

Later in his 14 years of lifetime, Marcus avoided physical and emotional chaos, hyperactivity, and anguish. He instead adapted to the calmness in life.

So, I hereby list 6 quotes fetched from Marcus’s life on happiness:

Let’s get started:

1. The blue drink from the chalice

Have you ever drunk a flavored slush?

Since 2016, I exercise and workout daily. Afterward, I visit a nearby shop to fetch a smoothie/slush. One time, I ordered a blueberry slush, and it stained my lips blue.

(Not to mention the face of strangers passing by and seeing me with little puppy eyes like I just drank poison from a chalice.)

That day, I realized that whatever we drink or eat stains our lips and tongue. *Try it*

We worry about our physical appearance that we almost neglect Aurelius’ saying:

“The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.”

Though no one (including us) can witness the color of our hearts, we can feel it.

Here’s a pictorial representation of the color of your hearts according to your thought process:

• Overthinking: Red
• Hatred: Black
• Kindness: Pink
• Guilty: Grey

Feel free to mix colors if you’re responsible for one or more negative feelings.

Your thoughts make up who you are.

So, if you think other people cannot peek in and see the color of your heart, you’re wrong!

2. To be or not to be

Arnold Schwarzenegger, the famous bodybuilder, believes:

“I was poor because I didn’t have anything, but I was rich because I had a DREAM.”

I wholeheartedly agree with this!

Marcus Aurelius faced a pandemic. This stepbrother (Lucius Verus) died, and he was sent alone to compete with the Germanic Marcomanni. But he was always content.

At one point, he wrote:

“No man is happy who does not think himself so.”

According to him, positive thinking and dreams change everything. Most of us spend our time thinking about negative scenarios that will never happen.

We overlook the joyous moments in our life as we’re too prepared for the negative ones.

Marcus thought of joyous moments. He never had a hard time dealing with the fact that:

• Got alive in the Roman’s deadly pandemic
• Fought Germanic warns
• Battled Parthian wars
• Glued the empire together

So, give yourself a title: hard worker, kind or creative. Use the label to do wonders.

3. Readers or teachers?

A general rule of life, as depicted by Marcus Aurelius:

“The only wealth you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away.”

This explains the fine example between a teacher and a book reader.

Here are the laid facts:

• Readers: Knows too much. Most readers journal, write summaries or write blogs to store the information.
• Teachers: Expertise in one particular subject. They teach them to remember what they just learned.

Both the readers and teachers are highly knowledgeable.

In one of my articles, I wrote that readers try to squeeze the information inside their brains.

This creates a problem.

The information you’re trying to retain is overwhelming to you. Instead, share and spread.

Sharing is an excellent way to remember things.

And if you don’t want to share it voluntarily, start sharing for money, for example:

• Teach online in webinars or live sessions
• Writing a blog
• Write a book

4. Court of conscience

Here is an excerpt from Steve Jobs’ biography:

“If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do? I know I need to change something whenever the answer is no for too many days.”

When we treat our days like the *last,* we don’t get shocked when our life ends.

Thinking about doomsday, explained by my friend George J. Ziogas, or thinking about your last day, generally, helps to stay on track. Either way, life is a deadline.

When we treat it like one, we change our thought process’s direction to a good one. Decisions will change once you believe life is and will end one day.

As Marcus Aurelius’ says:

“Perfection of character is this: to live each day as if it were your last, without frenzy, apathy, apathy, or pretense.”

Marcus Aurelius’ rational decision results from his constant “perfection of character” reminder.

That’s why Marcus avoided fighting, remained calm, and treated everyone equally. We never know when we may die. Do you want your last words to be harsh?

Instead, follow this practice:

• Think before you speak
• Buy time before responding
• Always stay positive

5. The portal to unhappiness

A historic Egyptian phrase I read in a book swamped my mind:

“The future is unthinkable.”

Whatever we think is not going to happen and what we don’t think is going to happen.

Quite confusing.

Think of it this way, many people believed:

• Education would have the highest demand. Though it is now, the prediction was unclear.
• The world would end in 2011,2012, 2022
• Medical would be expensive. No offense, it is.
• A pandemic could rise from the ashes.

Nostradamus inspired many predictions. But did you find a pattern?

The future always surprises.

As Marcus Aurelius’ writes:

“Never let the future disturb you. If you have to, you will meet it with the same weapons of the reason that today arm you against the present.”

Whatever we may think is minor. The future holds a vast extensive vision we cannot even think.

The problems we face bake us into a lovely wedding cake.

So, these problems are not the end. It’s a sweet start.

6. Sway the control

I always thought:

• Scenario #1: Does less money give you a headache or more money?
• Scenario #2: If you are hand to mouth, you have low money.

When it comes to money, there is no point when we people can say we are happy.

We are always chasing something. Can you believe things like money, clothes, and friendships don’t come with happiness anymore? (This is absurd)!

Maybe that’s why the French call Americans and their work culture stupid. No offense.

We hardly live our lives. All of us want to be rich. But what’s the goal? Do you have a rich goal? No?

As Marcus Aurelius’ says:

“The more we value things outside our control, the less control we have.”

Financial concentration and relationships are out of our control — the best points the world fights over.

It’s okay. Since people can’t fight for education and career (like in medieval times), people now fight over: money and family.

Don’t let that upset you.

A path without a defined goal is a dead end. So, define a goal.

• Scenario will hurt
• Goals never do

Final thoughts:

One stoic habit that binds all success factors: virtue.

If a person acts virtuously, everything else follows:

• inner peace, happiness, success, and reputation.

So, my friend, Stoicism is your key to living blissfully without dwelling on the supernatural concept.

Toss away your doubtful clothing and wear a Stoic cape now!

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