Daily Stoic 07.17 | Don't Abandon Others...Or Yourself
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 11.91
When you start to make changes to your actions and your character, you will quickly start to find tension between you and the people who surround you. Your new habits or decisions will not align with the agendas of your friends and family. Do not let these opposing viewpoints cause you to stray from your new and improved path. However, we also must not abandon those around us because of these differences. Remember, you were right where they are not long ago.
“As you move forward along the path of reason, people will stand in your way. They will never be able to keep you from doing what’s sound, so don’t let them knock out your goodwill for them. Keep a steady watch on both fronts, not only for well-based judgments and actions, but also for gentleness with those who would obstruct our path or create other difficulties. For getting angry is also a weakness, just as much as abandoning the task or surrendering under panic. For doing either is an equal desertion—the one by shrinking back and the other by estrangement from family and friend.”↩