Two thousand years ago, Marcus Aurelius, Stoic philosopher and Emperor of Rome, would start keeping a journal—notes to himself about learning how to live. In one entry he writes, “Whenever something happens that might cause you distress, remember to rely on this principle: this is not bad luck, but bearing it valiantly is good luck.” 

His timeless meditations on how to be a better person, newly translated and annotated in Robin Waterfield’s book, capture the universality of meeting life’s challenges with courage, resilience, and joy.