This morning, I was reading How to Be Free, A.A. Long’s translation of Epictetus’ Enchiridion and selections from his Discourses.
Epictetus was a slave for 30 years in the Roman Empire before gaining his freedom. As a Stoic philosopher, he taught that true freedom isn’t about external circumstances—it comes from your mind, your perceptions, and how you live with virtue.
One thing Epictetus said really stuck with me:
“If you can laugh at yourself, you’ll never run out of things to laugh about.”
I took that as a reminder that growth isn’t about being perfect. It’s about embracing the journey, flaws and all. You’ll mess up. You’ll fall short. You’ll say the wrong thing. But if you can own it, laugh at it, and keep moving forward, nothing can shake you.
I’ve thought about this a lot in my own life—whether it’s in Jiu Jitsu, when I feel like I’m not progressing and I’m getting submitted left and right, or when I’m completely exhausted. Or in business, when I feel like I’ve hit a dead end, or things aren’t moving as quickly as I hoped. Even in daily life, when I speak too soon or slack off.
Just laugh.
All of this is part of the process. Life isn’t about perfection—it’s about learning and moving forward. We have to be willing to humble ourselves and embrace the fact that we’re all living for the first time.
So, next time you’re feeling frustrated, stuck, or doubting yourself—take a deep breath, laugh at yourself, and get back to it.
Because the only thing that truly matters is that you keep going.
– Shania
Push Limits