Knowing others is intelligence. Knowing yourself is wisdom. Dominating others is power. Self-control is the real power. -Lao Tzu
What did the ancient Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu believe about happiness? Lao Tzu and Confucius are considered two emblematic figures in the history of Chinese philosophy.
In this article, we will refer to the philosophy of happiness of the first. But before we look at what he thought about happiness, let's look at some key facts about his life.
Short biography
According to Chinese tradition, Lao Tzu lived in the 6th century BC. Of course, some other historians place his life in the 4th century BC, while others also question its historical existence.
The personality of this great sage was very dark. The name Lao Tzu means "old sage" and is probably a mythical figure, despite later reports that he was considered a real person.
Later, Taoists created a whole mythology around the face of Lao Tzu, making it difficult for anyone to distinguish the historical from the mythical. It is said that he remained in his mother's womb for 80 years and that when he was born, he had a long beard, characteristic of a man of great wisdom.
Listen to your heart.
Lao Tzu encourages us to trust our conscience, our soul, our heart.
A journey of a thousand kilometers begins with one step.
It is not enough to set goals. It is not enough to make ambitious plans if we do not take action. If we are stuck in the quicksand of inertia, then we will never achieve our dreams. After all, hyper-analysis and a lot of thinking bring paralysis. And that's something we certainly wouldn't want. So let's take the first step towards what we want to achieve.
Face the difficult while it is easy.
As long as you cover the problem, not only do you not solve it, but you inflate it. We must not delay action. Over time, it is possible that the situation we have to manage to worsen.
React smartly, even when they don't treat you smartly.
No matter how someone else may treat you - since it's beyond your control - you have a "duty" to yourself to react with dignity and above all, smartly.
There is no greater misery than being unhappy with your destiny.
How many times when something unpleasant happens to us, we tend to say, "How unlucky am I?" or "Why me?" For Lao Tzu, this mentality is immature. And that's because luck is beyond our control. It is, therefore, important how we manage what happens to us. And indeed, regret is not a clever way to deal with it.
The muddy water cleans when it remains still.
How many of us have the patience not to react angrily to stressful situations? When something "bad" happens to us, we often fall into the trap of anxiety or anger, resulting in repeated mistakes that we later regret. All we need to do is stay calm and cultivate our self-control.
Failure is the foundation of happiness and the mean by which we achieve it.
Failure is our best teacher in life. From failure, we can learn things we did not know and therefore become wiser.
If you feel sad, you live in the past. If you are anxious, you live in the future. If you are calm, you live in the present.
We often find ourselves stressing over past mistakes or worrying about the future. The truth is that we're living in the present. That's why we should not let it pass unexploited. Each moment is unique, and once it is gone, it never comes back.
Deep down, in the center of your being, you have the answer. You know who you are and you know what you want.
No one knows better your wants and needs that you. That's why we should trust our inner voice when it comes to decisions. Trust yourself, and you won't regret it.
What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, life calls it a butterfly.
It's true when you have to deal with a harsh situation. It may seem like the end of the world. But remember the most profound darkness is before dawn.
Lao Tzu image credits: ancientpages.com
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