The Ancient Art of Finding Meaning in Everyday Life
Wisdom from the Past for a More Meaningful Present
Hey, Wise Reader!
Happy Sunday, and welcome to this week’s post. I hope you’ve had a great weekend and are feeling good about the week ahead. I’m blessed with another Monday off tomorrow, so I’m a very happy girl.
Today, we’re exploring what the ancients knew about finding meaning in everyday life. I’m excited to dive into this topic because it has been on my writing list for quite some time, and I think I’ve been putting it off because there’s just so much to say. But it’s finally time to dive into this exciting question and hopefully learn a thing or two.
As always, grab a cuppa, get comfy and let’s learn what some of the greatest thinkers from the ancient world had to say. ☕️
The Search for Meaning: Why the Everyday Matters
“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself.” — Marcus Aurelius
I think most of us wrestle with the search for meaning at some point — whether it comes in waves or lingers quietly beneath the surface. For me, it’s been less of a gentle curiosity and more of a gnawing ache these past few years.
One of the most-read posts I’ve shared on Wise Words was about purpose and the quest for it. Meaning, I’ve realised, is deeply tied to that same longing.
After sitting with that topic for some time, I came to understand that purpose isn’t fixed – it’s fluid. And more importantly, it doesn’t come from something “out there” waiting to be found. It comes from within.
I believe meaning is the same. We don’t stumble across it in grand milestones or perfect conditions. It’s shaped in the quiet dance between our inner lives and the outer world. It lives in the everyday moments, the ones we often rush past without a second thought.
And in today’s fast-paced, comparison-filled world, it’s no surprise that many of us feel disconnected from that sense of meaning. We’re so often pulled in every direction that we forget to pause — to actually feel our lives as they unfold.
The ancient philosophers didn’t promise easy answers, but they did leave behind timeless insights on where meaning can be found: in our actions, our thoughts, and how we meet the ordinary moments of life.
Socrates: The Examined Life Begins in the Ordinary
"The unexamined life is not worth living.” — Socrates
Socrates — the founding father of Western philosophy — is where we begin our exploration of the ancients. Writing about him takes me right back to the first year of my degree, when I knew barely anything about philosophy and hadn’t yet touched a Socratic dialogue.
Now, I know most of you reading this are likely already familiar with Socrates (you are Wise Readers, after all!), but for anyone who isn’t, Socrates was a big deal, and he still is. We’re talking about a man whose ideas are still shaping minds over 2,400 years later.
Before Socrates, philosophy largely focused on the natural world. Think early thinkers like Anaximander or Heraclitus, people we now call the Pre-Socratics. They explored questions about the cosmos, matter, and the nature of existence itself. Questions like, What is the world made of? Or is there a single substance behind everything we see?
In many ways, they were more like natural scientists than philosophers as we know them today. But then again, this was before philosophy had really taken shape as a distinct discipline.
But when Socrates arrived on the scene, the direction of philosophy shifted. Rather than looking out at the universe, he turned the lens inward on us humans. He began asking questions about life, virtue, meaning, justice — the stuff that still keeps us up at night. This pivot from natural philosophy to moral and ethical inquiry marked a huge turning point and one that still influences how we think today.
A quote you’ve likely heard is, “The unexamined life is not worth living.” It’s one of Socrates’ most famous lines, but what does it actually mean?
Well, we can go through life on autopilot. We might think we know what justice is, or kindness, or love — all those big human concepts that feel obvious on the surface. But Socrates challenges us to really examine them. To question what we believe and why we believe it.
Through that process — known as the Socratic Method — we’re often humbled. We realise we don’t know quite as much as we thought we did. And that, Socrates would argue, is exactly where meaningful growth begins.
So, what does this mean for us in modern life? Socrates teaches us that meaning isn’t something we passively stumble upon; it’s something we uncover through questioning our lives, our choices, and our assumptions. He invites us to get curious. To dig beneath the surface. To be a bit more uncomfortable and a lot more honest.
This doesn’t require a philosophy degree or hours of reading Plato’s dialogues, though diving into the dialogues is always a great idea. It could be as simple as pausing after a heated conversation and asking: Why did I react that way? Or reflecting on your job and asking: Is this work aligned with who I want to be? Or what does love mean to me?
He believed we all carry a kind of quiet wisdom within us — but it needs to be drawn out, often through questioning, dialogue, and reflection. That’s why he never claimed to have the answers. He just asked better questions. And maybe that’s where meaning lives, too. Not in knowing it all, but in being willing to explore it.
🌀 Practice for the Week:
Try this Socratic mini-ritual: 👇
Each evening this week, ask yourself one question — just one.
What did I do today that truly mattered?
Where did I act out of habit rather than intention?
What belief of mine was challenged today — and how did I respond?
Start there. And see what answers (or better yet, more questions) rise up.
Aristotle and the Everyday Practice of Virtue
“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” — Aristotle
Next up is Aristotle, tutor to none other than Alexander the Great (a bit of trivia for your next party, should the conversation take a philosophical turn).
Aristotle had a lot to say about virtue — or aretē, as the Greeks called it — and what it means to be a good human being. His work was all about action, habit, and becoming the kind of person who lives well not by chance, but by choice.
Though I’ve read less of Aristotle than some of the other philosophers we’re exploring today, his Metaphysics has been staring me down from my bookshelf since university, a silent challenge I’ve yet to accept. Thankfully, his Nicomachean Ethics has felt more approachable, and it’s there we find some of his most practical and profound ideas on how to live well.
A core practice Aristotle highlights is that virtue is a habit, and this sits at the heart of his Nicomachean Ethics. We become good through repetition. Building strong character isn’t about one-off actions; it’s a process of small, deliberate choices, day after day. We don’t become kind by thinking kind thoughts — we become kind by doing kind things, over and over.
And that’s where meaning comes in. For Aristotle, a meaningful life isn’t something we uncover; it’s something we create through how we live. It’s not about chasing happiness or waiting for purpose to arrive. It’s about becoming the kind of person whose life is meaningful because of how they show up, how they act, and the habits they build.
Aristotle also spoke of the Golden Mean, the idea that virtue often lies between two extremes. Courage, for example, sits between cowardice and recklessness. It’s a reminder that meaning isn’t found in perfection or extremes, but in balanced, thoughtful living. In other words, we live our way into meaning, one choice, one habit, one moment at a time.
🌀 Practice for the Week 👇
Notice one small moment each day where you could practise a virtue, and try to act with balance. Not too much, not too little, just enough. Whether it’s patience, honesty, generosity, or courage, lean into the version of yourself you want to become.
Epictetus and the Art of Focused Living
“Some things are within our control, and some things are not.” — Epictetus, Enchiridion
Of all the Stoics, Epictetus is perhaps the most quietly radical. Unlike Seneca or Marcus Aurelius, he didn’t come from wealth or power. He was born into slavery — and yet his teachings are filled with strength, clarity, and deep personal freedom.
Where others sought to shape the world, Epictetus reminded us that the only thing we ever truly control is our own mind. Our reactions. Our choices. Our attitude. Everything else is external.
So, where do we find meaning? In our thoughts, our actions, and our attitude. And that’s such an important reminder in today’s world, where meaning often feels like it’s one purchase, product, or course away.
Epictetus had a lot to say about the art of focused living, and if you haven’t read his Discourses, I highly recommend them. I still remember the first time I came across the Dichotomy of Control and thinking, “How is this simple idea so powerful?”
Hang on — I can actually choose not to get caught up in things I can’t control. It’s obvious once you hear it, but when you’ve spent your whole life thinking otherwise, it’s easy to fall into the habit of chasing the uncontrollable and losing focus on what really matters.
The Dichotomy of Control is one of Epictetus’ most powerful teachings — and also one of the simplest. It is one we have touched on many times here at Wise Words, and if you’d like a deep dive, you can do so by reading my previous post: The Dichotomy of Control: Making Peace with Life's Twists and Turns.
It’s the idea that there are two kinds of things in life: the things we can control and the things we can’t. Most of us spend a huge amount of time and energy trying to change, fix, or worry about what’s outside our power — other people’s opinions, the past, the future, outcomes, traffic, the weather, the algorithm… the list goes on.
But Epictetus says: let that go. Don’t waste your focus on what doesn’t belong to you. Instead, redirect it toward what does: your choices, your values, your response.
The more I’ve applied this in my own life, the more I’ve realised how freeing it is. It doesn’t mean we stop caring, it just means we stop clinging. And in that space, we find more attention, more peace, and more presence.
And that’s where meaning starts to grow. Not in the noise of trying to control everything but in the quiet, deliberate attention we give to what actually matters. The conversation we’re in. The task at hand. The words we choose. The person we’re becoming.
🌀 Practice for the Week 👇
Each morning this week, try this mini-reflection:
🔹 What’s in my control today?
🔹 What’s not?
🔹 Where do I want to put my energy?
Then, choose one thing within your power — even something small — and do it with care, attention, and presence. That’s the art of focused living. And that’s where meaning lives, too.
Seneca: Slowness, Stillness, and the Shortness of Life
“Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.” — Seneca
Seneca is the philosopher who first introduced me to Stoicism, and his words reached me during a season when I really needed them. It was a time when mortality wasn’t a distant concept but something I was deeply feeling — a time when the shortness of life wasn’t abstract but painfully real.
He had a way of holding a mirror up to life and asking whether we were truly living it.
Seneca wrote often about time. Not just how little of it we have but how carelessly we spend it. In his famous letter On the Shortness of Life, he wrote:
“It is not that we have a short time to live, but that we waste a lot of it.”
That quote hit me like a lightning bolt the first time I read it. How much of our time do we spend anxious about the future or replaying the past? How often do we fill our days with distraction, busy work, or commitments we don’t actually value, while the things that truly matter quietly wait in the background?
Seneca’s invitation is simple: slow down. Pay attention. Live deliberately.
He believed that a meaningful life isn’t necessarily a long one — it’s one that’s filled with intention and reflection. He reminds us that stillness isn’t wasted time, and rest isn’t laziness. Sometimes, stepping back is the most courageous thing we can do.
And in today’s world, where speed is often mistaken for significance, Seneca’s voice is a balm. He reminds us that a life well-lived is one where our time is aligned with our values. That meaning doesn’t come from filling our calendar, but from filling our soul.
🌀 Practice for the Week 👇
Do one thing slowly each day. Drink your tea slowly. Walk slowly. Breathe slowly. Let that moment be a reminder that you’re alive — and that this, right now, is your life.
Marcus Aurelius: Meaning Through Duty, Presence, and Perspective
“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.” — Marcus Aurelius
So another philosopher we’ve mentioned countless times here on Wise Words, but for good reason, as he has a lot of useful things to say is Marucs Aurelius. Whenever I talk to people about Stoicism, I always mention Meditations because, for me, it’s like a hug for the soul. It doesn’t matter what you’re going through; you can pick it up, flick to a page, and be taken back to the ancient world. And in doing so, you’re reminded that we all struggle with the same things. Okay, maybe not exactly the same — I’m no emperor (or should I say empress?) — but you get what I’m saying.
Marcus had much to say about duty, presence, and perspective — all of which are keys to discovering meaning within yourself. He believed that true fulfilment doesn’t come from pleasure, fame, or status but from living in accordance with nature, which, for the Stoics, meant living with wisdom, courage, justice, and self-discipline. It meant living up to our rational nature and aligning ourselves with the divine order of the universe — what they called Logos, the rational principle that governs all things.
He encourages us to stay rooted in the present moment, to meet each day as if it were our last, and to see life from a higher view, not just as individuals but as part of something greater.
“Objective judgment, now at this very moment. Unselfish action, now at this very moment. Willing acceptance — now at this very moment — of all external events. That’s all you need.”
That quote is a reminder that the building blocks of a meaningful life are always right in front of us — not in the future, but in this moment. Marcus doesn’t ask us to be perfect. He just asks us to be present. To bring good judgment, right action, and acceptance to this moment, and then the next one.
He also invites us to zoom out, to remember the impermanence of all things and to see ourselves as brief sparks in a vast universe. This perspective isn’t meant to make us feel small but to help us let go of what doesn’t matter and focus on what does. He encourages us to ask: Will this matter in five years? Is this aligned with who I want to be? Can I rise to this challenge with integrity?
Marcus teaches us that the meaning of life isn’t a puzzle to solve, it’s a path we walk. Through effort. Through virtue. Through presence.
🌀 Practice for the Week 👇
When you feel overwhelmed, pause and say to yourself: “This moment is enough.”
Then ask: What’s the wise thing to do next? Not later. Not tomorrow. Just now.
Bringing It Home: What We Can Learn from the Ancients
“How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?”— Epictetus
Well, we’ve reached the end of today’s post, and it might just be the longest one yet.
We’ve journeyed from the streets of Athens to the pages of Meditations, and I hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about the ancient thinkers who still have so much to teach us. Writing this has made me want to revisit the Stoic texts I first fell in love with, which feels like a gift in itself.
Meaning, in the end, is something we create. It’s personal and beautifully subjective, and that’s a good thing. It means you get to decide what truly matters. For me, it’s spending time with the people I love, making memories, trying to be a good person, writing, getting lost in projects that light me up… and pizza. Yes, this girl can absolutely find meaning in pizza. 🍕
I hope something from today’s post stays with you. If anything, let it be this: you are in control of how you shape a meaningful life. Not someday — but today, in how you live, love, think, speak, and show up.
💌 If you enjoyed today’s post…
Let me know by hitting the like button, leaving a comment below, or sharing it with someone who’s also searching for meaning in the mess and magic of everyday life. If any part of this reflection resonated with you — from the ancient wisdom to the quiet moments — I’d love to hear what it stirred in you.
Until next time, Wise Reader, take care, honour the everyday, and remember: meaning isn’t something you find once — it’s something you create, moment by moment.
"Where do we find meaning? In our thoughts, our actions, and our attitude. And that’s such an important reminder in today’s world, where meaning often feels like it’s one purchase, product, or course away"
How true. On point and very well put.
Great article and a thought provoking read.
Thank you Savvy Stoic.