Impermanence
Everything passes, so let’s live each moment with fairness.
Takeaway
1. Nothing lasts, and that’s how it should be.
Time carries everything away: joys, pains, faces, seasons.
Instead of clinging, welcome this flow as the very fabric of life.
2. Savor the present before it fades.
Each moment is a fragile flame.
Watching it disappear reminds you to live it fully while it burns.
3. Do not fear the end, it is part of the natural order.
Trying to freeze what changes is to fight against nature.
Accepting impermanence is finding peace that does not depend on forms.
4. Turn endings into sources of strength.
Knowing everything is temporary makes your choices sharper.
The urgency to live well replaces the illusion of living long.
Origins
The Stoics saw impermanence as a constant reminder: everything is in motion.
Marcus Aurelius wrote that things dissolve, transform, and vanish like smoke.
Seneca emphasized the brevity of life, reminding us that our time is limited and must be invested wisely.
For them, impermanence was not a tragedy but an invitation to orient actions toward virtue and justice rather than illusory attachment.
Citations
All things are in flux and change… Time is like a river that carries you away.
Modern use
- In relationships: appreciate the presence of others without the illusion of permanence.
- At work: accept that projects and roles evolve, and learn to reinvent yourself.
- In design: create with the idea that every product will be replaced, and think in cycles.
- In personal growth: practice daily gratitude, knowing that nothing is guaranteed.
Further reading
Oliver Burkeman – Four Thousand Weeks
A clear reflection on finitude and our relationship to time.
Pema Chödrön – When Things Fall Apart
A Buddhist and accessible view on living with impermanence.
Ryan Holiday – The Daily Stoic
366 meditations inspired by Stoicism, grounded in the awareness of passing time.