Don’t Take It For Granted

It’s a weekday morning, and you wake up to the sound of your alarm. You groggily reach for your phone, check the time, and sigh. You’ve got another busy day ahead of you. Before you know it, you’re lost in the usual hustle—emails, meetings, tasks, and errands. At some point, you get frustrated because things aren’t going your way. Your coffee spills, traffic makes you late, or your colleague forgets to do their part of the project. By the time you finally get home, the day has slipped through your fingers. And yet, through all this, how often do you stop and appreciate what you have?

It’s a question worth pondering because, like most people, you might be unknowingly taking things for granted. It’s easy to assume that your family, job, health, or even something as simple as the roof over your head will always be there. We fall into routines, and in doing so, we forget to notice the richness of the present moment. But the Stoics knew the value of appreciating what we have now. They urged us to pause, reflect, and embrace gratitude, reminding us of life’s fleeting nature.

The Fragility of Life

One of the most profound lessons Stoicism offers is the recognition of life’s fragility. When we realize how brief life can be, we are more inclined to appreciate the present moment and the people and things that fill it. Think about your relationships for a moment. How often do we find ourselves caught up in minor annoyances, forgetting how precious our loved ones are? Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor and Stoic philosopher, wrote in his Meditations, “Do not act as if you had ten thousand years to throw away. Death stands at your elbow. Be good for something while you live, and it is in your power.” His words call us to wake up from the illusion that there will always be more time. This sense of urgency helps us take less for granted and recognize the value of what we have.

Amor Fati: Embracing What Is

One of the central tenets of Stoicism is amor fati, or the love of fate. It’s the idea that we should accept everything that happens to us, good or bad, as necessary and even beautiful. This doesn’t mean passively resigning to misfortune, but rather appreciating life in all its forms. Even in hardship, there is value to be found if we look closely enough.

Take the example of a missed opportunity. Maybe you didn’t get the job you wanted, or a relationship didn’t work out. It’s easy to feel disappointed and dwell on what’s lost. But as Epictetus teaches us, “Do not seek for things to happen the way you want them to; rather, wish that what happens happens the way it happens: then you will be happy.” When we learn to accept life as it is, rather than as we want it to be, we start to appreciate the present moment for what it is, rather than constantly yearning for something else.

Consider the simple act of breathing. Most of us don’t think twice about it, yet every breath is a reminder that we are alive. It’s a privilege we overlook until we struggle to catch our breath, perhaps during illness or stress. The Stoics believed that by focusing on the present and accepting life’s outcomes, we cultivate gratitude and cease taking these moments for granted.

The Impermanence of Material Wealth

It’s not just our relationships or time that we tend to take for granted. Often, we place too much importance on material possessions. In a consumer-driven world, it’s easy to assume that the more we acquire, the happier we’ll be. But the Stoics warned against this mindset. Seneca wrote, “It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.” This simple yet profound statement reveals how wealth is not determined by how much we possess but by our attitude toward what we have. If we constantly seek more—whether it’s money, status, or material goods—we fail to appreciate what is already in our grasp.

Instead of chasing after fleeting external pleasures, the Stoics urge us to find contentment within. Seneca also advised, “Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.” This approach to life encourages us to appreciate what we have now rather than postponing happiness to some future date when we think we’ll have “enough.”

Practicing Gratitude in the Stoic Way

Gratitude is a practice the Stoics deeply valued, though they approached it in a way that differs from modern understandings. Instead of merely listing things they were grateful for, the Stoics focused on visualizing life without them. This technique, called “negative visualization,” involves imagining the loss of the very things we cherish—our family, friends, home, health, and even our own lives. Far from being morbid, this exercise helps us recognize the fragility of these things and, as a result, appreciate them more deeply.

Marcus Aurelius, in Meditations, wrote, “Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now take what’s left and live it properly.” By contemplating the impermanence of our lives and the things we hold dear, we are better able to appreciate them in the here and now. This practice makes it less likely that we’ll take our blessings for granted.

Imagine how much more present you would be if you lived each day as if it were your last. How much more would you value the conversations you have with your loved ones? How much more attention would you give to your surroundings? Stoicism reminds us that nothing in life is guaranteed—not our time, nor our relationships, nor our possessions. This realization isn’t meant to create anxiety but to cultivate appreciation.

Control What You Can, Let Go of the Rest

A cornerstone of Stoic philosophy is the idea that we should focus on what we can control and let go of what we can’t. Epictetus captured this concept perfectly when he said, “Some things are within our power, while others are not. Within our power are opinion, motivation, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever is of our own doing. Not within our power are our body, our property, reputation, office, and, in a word, whatever is not of our own doing.”

By internalizing this principle, we start to see that much of what we take for granted lies outside our control. Health can falter. Relationships can change. Circumstances can shift in ways we never expected. But what we can control is our mindset—how we choose to respond to these changes and whether we choose to appreciate the moment or let it slip by unnoticed. This Stoic mindset frees us from the frustration of unmet expectations. Instead of feeling entitled to certain outcomes, we become grateful for what we have right now. Every moment and every experience becomes a gift, not an obligation.

Living with Purpose

Ultimately, the Stoics encourage us to live with purpose, using every moment we have wisely. Marcus Aurelius urged, “Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.” This call to action reminds us that we shouldn’t squander our days debating or waiting for ideal conditions. The time to act, to live fully, and to appreciate life is now. Living with purpose means understanding that we are temporary beings in a constantly changing world. The more we recognize our own impermanence, the more we can make the most of each day. Rather than waiting for the perfect moment to express gratitude or pursue our goals, we must seize the moment at hand.

A Stoic Call to Gratitude

Taking things for granted is a common human experience, but Stoicism offers a powerful antidote. By embracing the philosophy of living in the present, accepting life as it comes, and focusing on what we can control, we begin to appreciate the small moments and the people around us.

The Stoics remind us that life is fleeting. Marcus Aurelius wrote, “The art of life is more like the wrestler’s art than the dancer’s, in respect of this, that it should stand ready and firm to meet onsets which are sudden and unexpected.” Life’s unpredictability makes it all the more important to cherish what we have now.

As you go through your day, take a moment to pause and reflect on the things you might be taking for granted. Whether it’s the warmth of the sun on your face, the laughter of a friend, or the simple fact that you woke up today—these moments are worth appreciating. Stoicism teaches us that by recognizing the impermanence of life and embracing what we have, we can live more fully, more gratefully, and more meaningfully.