Things themselves don’t hurt or hinder us. Nor do other people. How we view these things is another matter. It is our attitudes and reactions that give us trouble. Therefore even death is no big deal in and out of itself. It is our notion of death, our idea that it is terrible, that terrifies us. There are so many different ways to think about death – and everything else. Are they really true? Are they doing you any good? Don’t dread death or pain: dread the fear of death or pain. We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.

Recommended reading: Art of Living: The Classical Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness.