Epictetus taught that we are disturbed not by events but by our judgments about them. The thing itself, a delayed train, a short reply, a closed door, is often neutral. Then we wrap a story around it: this always happens to me, they're upset with me, it's ruined now. The story is what stings. The good news is the story is yours, which means you can examine it. Today, when something lands hard, try to separate the bare fact from the meaning you stacked on top. Often you'll find the fact is manageable, and it was the story doing the hurting.

Inspired by the old idea of events versus judgments. Written by Ugo Charles.