Meditations 8.32:

“You have to assemble your life yourself—action by action. And be satisfied if each one achieves its goal, as far as it can. No one can keep that from happening.

—But there are external obstacles.…

Not to behaving with justice, self-control, and good sense.

—Well, but perhaps to some more concrete action.

But if you accept the obstacle and work with what you’re given, an alternative will present itself—another piece of what you’re trying to assemble. Action by action.”

It’s on me to put my own life together, to craft myself into the person I aim to be, to create opportunities worthy of my time here.

Don’t wait on others or on the right conditions or on a feeling you hope will propel you forward.

Just take action, whether you feel like it or not. And then keep acting.

Of course, it won’t go as planned. But act like the obstacles and setbacks you encounter are actually a part of your plan.

Don’t resist what is. Use everything, even unwanted obstacles, as building blocks in the creation of the life you are assembling for yourself.