A person who is a friend to themselves

A person who is a friend to themselves, Seneca wrote, is an aid to all mankind. They are kind. They are calm. They have empathy—for themselves and for others. They aren’t desperate. They can quietly spend time alone. They don’t need to pull others down to lift themselves up. They can stand on the shoulders of giants, as Isaac Newton said, instead of stepping on their necks to secure advantage.

— This Is What Progress Looks Like (Listen)