A couple of great quotes I came across when reading the book “Healthy Aging” by Dr. Andrew Weil.
From the Greek philosopher….Epictetus a former slave who developed the Science of Happiness. He taught people to live in accordance with nature and to unlearn the habit of judging everything that happens as good or bad , and to distinguish what is within your power to change and what is not.
” Make the best use of what is in your power, take the rest as it comes.”
“The thing that upsets people is not what happens but what they think it means.”
A well known expression of Epictetus’s philosophy is the serenity prayer much used by alcoholics anonymous and self help groups….”God grant me the Serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, and the Wisdom to know the difference.”
One final thought on happiness relates to optimism and laughter as some of the best medicine; both can be learned. In fact there is there is a physician from Mumbai India who stated a practice called “laughter yoga” where people get together in large groups in order to laugh together as a form of physical and mental exercise. p. 277 Healthy aging. In fact, this doctor is traveling around the world starting laughter clubs.
Lets take some of the sooo serious out of business…..Hey sign me up, sounds like a blast!
