Amor Fati is an ancient Stoic philosophy term that translates to “love of fate.” it is the practice of embracing the future, regardless of the outcome, instead of fearing it. Stoic philosophers held onto the idea that we as humans hold onto the attachment of outcomes, however, there is no single worry in the world that can stop bad things from happening. They also believe heavily in the importance of gratitude, claiming that we tend to overlook the things we have and focus on the things we don’t have. One Philosopher, Aurelius, said, “Look at what you have, the things you value most, and think of how much you’d crave them if you didn’t have them.” Essentially, Amor Fati is to embrace your current present and the fact that you cannot predict the future. However I understand that is easier said than done, so here are tips on how to practice it.
Try to expose yourself to what you fear the most
Our brain can make certain things seem like a much bigger deal than they are when in reality they are not as bad as you think.
See change as an opportunity
I’m sure many of us were initially scared to go to college but now cannot imagine a life in which we didn’t go here. Change in many cases is for the better and that should be something to embrace instead of fear.
Don’t waste your energy
The time and energy spent worrying about the future is most likely going to be worse than the future itself. You are sacrificing your current happiness by allowing yourself to be consumed by ideas of the future.
Be present
Change is the very essence of life, resisting change is like resisting life. When fate comes, it comes in the present, which is why we must embrace the present to embrace fate.
If you want to learn more about Amor Fati and stoic philosophy, “Daily Stoic” on YouTube talks more about this!