Reminder of “Momento Mori”

Hearing or reading “remember that you must die,” probably sounds morbid and fear-mongering, but “Momento Mori,” which has roots in Ancient Rome and with the Stoics, serves to remind us that none of us are immortal and we do not know for sure when our time will come to an end.

This makes many of us uncomfortable, with good reason, but also offers the opportunity to ensure we are making use of our time while here on Earth. We are fortunate that we do not have to worry about being eaten by a predator on any given day, as some of our ancestors had to do, but that does not mean we are invincible in young age.

Reflecting on our impermanence can help guide our actions and the direction we take in life.

Knowing we won’t be around forever does not mean we partake in risky behavior every day, but there’s a middle ground we can find. One where we stay disciplined, but also take calculated risks at times or do something different than normal because we recognize our bodies do not survive forever.

Marcus Aurelius, one of the most well-known Stoics, writes in Meditations, “You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.”

While I do not want to think about mortality all the time, taking time to contemplate this fact on occasion can motivate me to do what matters most.

The Benefits of Negative Visualization

Stoicism, a branch of Hellenistic philosophy founded by Zeno around 304 BC, is designed to help make people happier, more resilient, more virtuous, wiser, and more. Practiced by Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, and other famous leaders and thinkers from history, Stoics want people to be better, for themselves and others.

One technique they practice involves negative visualization, where one actually takes time to think about what can go wrong. We usually get the opposite advise, told to imagine all the positive outcomes and goals we can achieve. While this is important, imagining the bad outcomes can help you better prepare for potential obstacles on the way.

The way I like to use this exercise is to imagine how much worse a situation could be compared to what is actually happening. Maybe I did not feel as motivated at work today, but then I can imagine others who are unemployed. Perhaps I slept restlessly, but then I can remember to be thankful for a comfortable bed, compared to those who are homeless. Let’s imagine that one night I wanted a better meal for dinner, then I remember those in the world who are perpetually hungry. The list can go on and on to more drastic examples.

As my Mom would often tell me when things were off for some reason or another, “at least we are healthy and none of us have cancer.” Maybe a bit morbid? Yes, but also true and powerful. Let’s be grateful and remember that we have a lot, knowing things could be way worse.

Control What You Can Control

One of the oldest lessons in the books: control what you can control.

Even kids are taught this lesson in various ways. Kids may learn this the hard way, but they come to understand that things do not always go their way, but that is okay.

Epictetus was a Greek, Stoic philosoper, who gave lectures related to focusing on what is in our control.

The Stoics are full of knowledge and I would highly recommend checking them out. Author Ryan Holiday has a great YouTube channel and a podcast as well if you want to learn more.

The main lesson I take from the Stoics is we are all capable of handling life with our head held high, despite the inevitable suffering. The four virtues of stoicism are wisdom, courage, justice, and moderation. From this approach, we can act ethically and find a greater peace and contentment.

When life feels challenging, we have the option to think about what we can control regarding the situation. We can’t control others opinions or most external circumstances, but we have a large say in our attitude, perspective, and more.

Resilience is a hot topic among educators because kids and adolescents need this skill amongst all the uncertainty in life, especially with the pandemic. Look no further than the alarming mental health statistics, most notably with adolescents and young adults, to know that many are vulnerable and struggle to deal with stress in healthy ways.

Social media likely harms many kids and adolescents’ sense of self, even if the effects are subtle. Viewing others through a filtered lens probaby leads to constant comparison and jealousy, or a false sense that others have a perfect life where they are always happy and top of things.

Besides pointing out facades, we can point out that we don’t really know how others feel or think, but we can control our response. I have found reflecting on this approach helpful and hope to do more in the near future.

Character is Fate

From Heraclitus (Greek philosopher) and popular through the Stoics:

First off, this quote was brought to my attention from one of the emails I receive each day from the daily stoic. The link to where you can subscribe to recieve their emails (one a day, totally free and no advertisement messages):

Daily Stoic

*The emails are usually shorter and contain a lot of knowledge*

I came across the Stoic philosophy within the last year and really enjoy learning about their ideas and lessons. There are certainly some similarities with Buddhism. A quick google search will tell you more, but one thing that sticks with me is their idea that a happy and healthy life requires the cultivation of  an excellent mental state, which comes through virtue and rationalism. One should recognize that our time here is limited and we should actively try to make use of it.

The Stoics were certainly ahead of their time. 

I am not offering a blanket endorsement, of course, but I think everyone could benefit from learning about other philosophies and ideas different from their own beliefs. Anyone can find nuggets of wisdom from the Stoics that they can use in their own lives.

Back to the quote…

 

To me, this concept is very similar to karma.

If one reaches wealth and success through ambition and persistence but acted primarily through greed and corruption, something comes back to bite. Even if they are incredibly wealthy and successful their entire lives, inside they may be full of regret and living with an internal hell.

Good character goes a long way and arguably makes up the core of a person. I realize that people I admire have really strong character.

Our actions matter and accumulate.