June- Week 3 - Problem Solving

“Just as nature takes away every obstacle, every impediment, and works around it, turns it to its purposes, incorporates it into itself, so too a rational being can turn each setback into raw material and use it to achieve its goal.”

-Marcus Aurielius

Nature often adapts to obstacles with remarkable ease—a quality known as ecological resilience. So why is it harder for us when we face concerns, worries, or problems? The Stoics suggested a practice called “the view from above.” Marcus Aurelius used it often to remind himself that the world is always changing and that we must adapt as well.

This week, when the next problem arises, and it will, try shifting your perspective. Instead of viewing life only at close range, step back and see it from a wider angle. Look at the problem as an observer and notice how it fits within the larger world. A new point of view can reveal a new way forward.