Before you get upset, remember there may be something you don't know.
People will annoy you in this life. That's a given. You'll get cut off on the highway. You'll be spoken to rudely. You'll get blown off. Someone will drop the ball. Someone's screaming baby will make your flight miserable.
But before you get upset, stop yourself. Maybe there's something you don't quite know about the situation.
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Until you know their reasons, how do you know whether they have acted wrongly?
EPICTETUS
That person who cut you off might be speeding to the hospital. That crying baby could be sick, or have two parents who are absolutely exhausted. The person who spoke rudely might be dying, or might have a broken heart.
The Stoics remind us to be empathetic. Almost no one does wrong on purpose, Socrates said. Maybe they just don't know any better.
TRY THIS TODAY
The next time someone annoys you today, think of three generous reasons they might be acting that way.
Much of what I've learned about Stoicism comes from Ryan Holiday. Find more of his writing at dailystoic.com and ryanholiday.net.
While I have edited much of this content, there are some cases where I have taken Ryan Holiday's words directly. I've included them because I think they are powerful and will be helpful for you. They are also helpful for me, and I've put them here so I can learn and understand more myself.
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