Dying Every Day (Stoicism in a Year) Day 129: A Stoic Guide to Happiness - The Art of Having Enough
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In this meditation, we explore one of Senecaâs most profound teachings on wealth, desire, and freedom:
âYou ask what is the proper limit to a personâs wealth? First, having what is essential; second, having what is enough. If you shape your life according to nature, you will never be poor. If you shape it according to opinion, you will never be rich.âSeneca reminds us that poverty is not measured by what we lack, but by what we crave. True wealth, he says, is found not in accumulation, but in sufficiency â in the quiet realization that we already have what is needed to live well.
Drawing on both Stoic and Epicurean wisdom, this reflection explores how simplicity leads to serenity, and how reducing our desires brings more peace than satisfying them ever could. As Epicurus wrote, âIf you wish to make someone rich, do not add to his money, but subtract from his desires.â
Expect to learn:
- How to distinguish natureâs needs from opinionâs endless wants
- Why craving more leads to dependence, not freedom
- How ancient philosophy offers a timeless cure for modern restlessness
- Practical ways to practice the art of enough in everyday life
The Stoics and Epicureans both understood this truth: wealth is not the possession of many things, but the mastery of desire. When we stop measuring life by whatâs missing, we discover that the cup is already full.
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