Day 2: Recognizing External Events
Identifying what's outside your power
"Never say of anything, 'I have lost it'; but, 'I have returned it.' Is your child dead? It is returned. Is your wife dead? She is returned. Is your estate taken away? Well, and is not that likewise returned?"
Today's Lesson
Yesterday we learned the fundamental distinction between what is within our control and what is not. Today, we practice recognizing external events - those things that happen to us and around us that are not within our power to determine.
External events include: the weather, traffic, other people's opinions and behaviors, the economy, political events, illness, accidents, and even death. These things happen according to their own nature and causes, independent of our wishes. The Stoics called this understanding "living according to nature" - accepting that the universe operates by its own laws.
This doesn't mean we become passive or indifferent. Rather, we learn to distinguish between appropriate action (doing what we can) and futile worry (agonizing over what we cannot change). Marcus Aurelius wrote: "Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together." Recognition of externals is the first step to this acceptance.
Today's Journal Prompt
Make a list of five things that happened today (or recently) that were completely outside your control. For each one, write how you initially reacted. Then write how you might respond differently knowing it was never within your power to prevent.
Tonight's Practice
Practice the phrase "This is not up to me" throughout your evening. When something unexpected happens - good or bad - pause and say this phrase silently. Notice how it affects your emotional response. Does it bring a sense of relief? Resistance? Simply observe.
About Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius (121-180 AD) was Roman Emperor for nearly two decades, often called the last of the "Five Good Emperors." Despite holding supreme power over the known world, he practiced Stoic philosophy daily, writing private reflections that became the famous "Meditations." His journals reveal a man constantly working to distinguish between what he could control (his own virtue and judgment) and what he could not (the vast challenges of ruling an empire, including wars, plagues, and political intrigue). His writings remain among the most practical guides to applying Stoic principles in daily life.