Some Rules In The First Ten Sections

1. Differ from what is up to you and what isn't:

“Our bodies are not up to us, nor are our possetions, our reputations, nor our public offices or that is, whatever is not our own doing.” (PDF).

“Our opinions are up to us, and our impulses, desires, aversions- in short, whatever is our own doing.” (PDF).

2. Don't have any desire or aversion:

"None of the things that are up to us which it would be good to desire, will be available to you" (PDF).

"So detach your aversion from everything not up to us, and transfer it to what is against nature among the things that are up to us" (PDF).

3. Remember things break and people die:

"If you are fond of a jug say "I am fond of a jug!" For when it is broken, you will not be upset" (PDF).

"If you kiss your child or your wife, say that you are kissing a human being; for when it dies you will not be upset" (PDF).

4. Remember what certain actions imply and try to keep your actions accord with nature:

"Oh well, I wanted not only this but also to keep my choices in accord with nature" (PDF).

5. Blame yourself before you blame others:

"What upsets people is not things themselves but their judgements about things."

"So when we are thwarted or upset or distressed, let us never blame someone else but rather ourselves" (PDF).

6. Only be joyful about your superiority:

What you should do: My hair is beautiful.

What you shouldn't do: My dog's hair is beautiful.

7. (Great metaphor) Set your priorities straight. Your duty goes first.

"If you are given a wife and a child instead of a vegetable and a shellfish, that will not hinder you; but if the captain calls, let all those things go and run to the boat without turning back (PDF). ( Captain referring to God?)

8. Do not expect things to happen in a certain way:

"Do not seek to have events as you want them to, but instead, want them to happen as they do happen, and your life will go well" (PDF).

9. Illness affects your body, not your choices:

"Lameness interferes with the limb, not with one's faculty of choice" (PDF).

10. If you were strong enough to go through your own birth, you have the capacity of going through any situation:

"At each thing that happens to you, remember to turn yourself and ask what capacity you have for dealing with it" (PDF).

"And if you become used to this, you will not be carried away by appearances" (PDF).