The lives of all wise men down the ages were centred around habits and routines; practices in which they engaged daily, from waking moments until going to sleep. That provided the structure necessary for a day lived well. These practices provided a blue print for them to help lead good and happy lives.
Morning: The ancient wise men believed in rising with the sun. As the great Roman philosopher, Seneca (4BCE- 65CE) states, we are more productive and better people when we wake up in time to greet the sun. This allows more time for the morning practices that will follow, as well as the stillness that the early morning can provide, to ensure you are well set up for a day lived well.
Gratitude: As Marcus Aurelius, the wise Roman Emperor said, we must always remind ourselves of the privilege of being alive, and be grateful for all that we have been given. If we view each day as a bonus day – to live to love, to do things we love – we can’t help but experience gratitude. Viewing each day in this way will ensure that you live your day well.
Meditation: The wise of yore were big on meditation, although not the standard practice we are accustomed to today. It is important in the morning to be able to sit or go for walk in silence, listen to what is going on in your body and mind, gather your thoughts, and reflect on the day ahead. Marcus Aurelius says, it is important to regularly have this time alone with your thoughts, to find stillness and rest.
According to Marcus Aurelius, we must “Meditate often on the interconnectedness and mutual interdependence of all things in the universe”. This realisation reminds us that we are all one, and therefore helps us to treat others with respect and in a non-judgmental way. We must look out for one and another and care about each other, and therefore we must be patient and accepting of others. This view also puts things in perspective – our problems are so tiny among the vastness of the cosmos.
Self-reflection and planning: After a purposeful silence, they would think about the day ahead – the ways in which they would go about their day, how they would behave in accordance with the virtues of wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance, the challenges they may face, and how they would work to overcome these.
Seneca reminds us, “It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it.” As you plan your day, identify ways where you can maximize alive time and minimize dead time. Realize the situations in which you can bring more value to your day, to ensure that your days are lived well.
Marcus Aurelius calls us to focus on our challenges, approaching each as if it is your last, giving up every distraction, emotional subversion of reason and all drama, vanity, and complaint over your fair share.
There is no point wasting time or energy on things out of your control. Marcus Aurelius stresses, “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
Our mortality: Seneca, says: “Let us prepare our minds as if we had come to the very end of life. Let us postpone nothing. Let us balance life’s books each day….The one who puts the finishing touches on their life each day is never short of time.” You are called to embrace each day as if it were your last. Do all things with excellence. Make the most of your time here on earth.
The lives of the wise and learned of yore centred around being good people and living good lives dictated by virtues and living life to the fullest. We can use those very practices, thousands of years later, to help us live well in a busy, distracted, and stressed society. Following these practices daily will help us develop and grow to be better people and to achieve more success. Another ancient Stoic philosopher Epictetus (50AD-135AD) has similar outlook, “Progress is not achieved by luck or accident, but by working on yourself daily.”
