Epictetus Quotes

We are not disturbed by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens to us.

Life is the movie you see through your own eyes. It makes little difference what's happening out there. It's how you take it that counts.

It all depends on how we look at things, and not how they are in themselves.

What I had to learn was, that I'm only responsible for my perception of things. The world's not out to get you. That's not the way it works.

Life's all about perceptions.

Happiness depends more on how life strikes you than on what happens.

People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them.

Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them.

How you feel is not the result of what is happening in your life-it is your interpretation of what is happening.

Nothing has happened to you unless you make much of it.

Obviously, circumstances alone do not make us happy or unhappy. It is the way we react to circumstances that determines our feelings. Jesus said that the kingdom of heaven is within you. That is where the kingdom of hell is, too.

What disturbs people's minds are not events but their judgments on events.

If you're looking at things with the right set of eyes, people are endlessly fascinating. And then, of course, if you look at it the wrong way, then the whole world is horrible and tedious and boring. That's the battle, really--to keep looking at the world in the right way.

You do not 'suffer' if you decide 'that's the way it is' rather than 'why is it this way?'

Life is never boring, but some people choose to be bored.

I think perception is important.

A world view is probably an expression of self.

There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.

I don't worry about the things I can't change.

The world is what you think of it. So think of it differently, and your life will change.

What we see depends mainly on what we look for.

I do have moments when I feel insecure. I do have moments when I feel jealous, and that's normal. It's a very normal emotion. It's your action and your attitude and your reaction to that that is important.

You cannot tailor-make the situations in life but you can tailor-make the attitudes to fit those situations.

I think that ultimately your age is determined by your attitude. It's not the number; it's not how many wrinkles you have on your face. It's the energy that you project.

We see things as we are, not as they are.