Amor Fati

Every morning I read “The Daily Stoic” by Ryan Holiday and last week he featured a timeless Stoic principle  - Amor Fati, which translates to “love of fate”.

Directly, it’s a reminder to make the most of whatever happens in life. We don’t choose the cards we’re dealt, but we do choose how to play them. We tap into our best lives when we do our best, regardless of where life takes us. There’s a hint of intentionality embedded in the concept where it’s upon us to choose what we do with and how we relate to our circumstances.

This bleeds into a more robust meaning of Amor Fati, bringing in the “art of acquiescence”. To acquiesce is to give in, accommodate, or accept without complaint or protest. Oftentimes our reaction to difficult circumstances is to feel like we’re wronged or that things are unfair. But acquiescence is this beautiful acceptance for how things are, fully acknowledging what’s out of our control and not feeling attached to what happens because of it.

Which brings us to the most advanced, intense meaning of Amor Fati which goes beyond accepting and into wishing. Imagine relating to life’s circumstances with the perspective that no matter what happened, it’s what you wanted to happen. 

Rather than trying to consciously manufacture results and achieve your goals, what if you had this underlying faith that you are exactly where you need to be at all times, experiencing exactly what you’re supposed to. It would assign a positive, divine meaning to every life event where nothing could possibly go wrong. It’s a radical approach, but one that completely eliminates discouragement and disappointment in life. And depending on what you believe religiously, this is similar to the ultimate faith many people place in God.

Regardless of what level of Amor Fati you feel you’re prepared for, or that will serve you, there are elements of this worth considering. Having a love for fate, a dedication to embracing what is rather than fighting against it, frees up our energy and gets us in motion living a more powerful life.