November 23, 2016 at 03:25AM
"Many people seem to act primarily out of fear  ... fears hold us back in incredible ways..." #readingToday

Many people seem to act primarily out of fear — fear of the unknown, fear of poverty, fear of ugliness, fear of discomfort, fear of failure. These fears hold us back in incredible ways, with roots running so deeply that we often fail to recognize them. Seneca believed that negative thought habits can become so comfortable and regular over time that people actually often start to like them. He warned against letting this happen; it's a difficult cycle to get out of and makes people feel as if they are condemned to their miseries.

"True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but…