“When you first rise in the morning, tell yourself: I will encounter busybodies, ingrates, egomaniacs, liars, the jealous and cranks. They are all stricken with these afflictions because they don’t know the difference between good and evil. Because I have understood the beauty of good and the ugliness of evil, I know that these wrong-doers are still akin to me…and that none can do me harm, or implicate me in ugliness. Nor can I be angry at my relatives or hate them, for we are made for co-operation.” Marcus Aurelius, Meditations.
Whatever negativity you see in others’ behaviour, remember that you’re capable of it too. Rather than condone it or deny it, recognise and accept it for what it is. You’re just like them – more or less, to some extent, a little. Be prepared for it when it comes, rather than surprised. Have a look at your own reflection, when you first rise in the morning. You might always like what you see.
