Amor Fati: The Art of Loving Life, Even When It’s a Hot Mess
Life has a funny way of throwing curveballs, doesn’t it? One minute, you’re sipping your morning coffee, feeling like a productivity goddess with your color-coded planner, and the next, your toddler is finger-painting the walls with cashew butter, your email inbox is staging a coup, and the chicken coop door is mysteriously open. (Cue panic.)
It’s in moments like these that I’ve learned to embrace a little ancient wisdom—specifically, Amor Fati.
For those of us who didn’t major in philosophy (no shade, me either), Amor Fati is a fancy Latin phrase that means “love of fate.” Not “tolerate it” or “put up with it,” but love it. Even the messy, chaotic, not-so-Instagrammable parts. It’s about embracing life exactly as it is—good, bad, or cashew-butter-stained.
The Stoics, those ancient philosophers who knew a thing or two about life’s unpredictability, preached this idea long before Pinterest quotes were a thing. Marcus Aurelius said it best: “Welcome everything that happens, as if you had wished for it.” And yes, even that thing—the one that made you ugly cry in the parking lot.
Why This Matters (Especially If You’re a Planner Like Me)
Look, I’m a big fan of planning. I mean, I created an entire system to help people break down big goals into bite-sized daily actions. But here’s the thing: Life doesn’t care about your carefully curated plans. Storms roll in, plans derail, and sometimes, chaos reigns. (Amor Fati is basically the Stoic way of saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade. And if there’s no sugar? Drink it anyway and call yourself resilient.”)
The secret is in your mindset. You can’t control the storm, but you can control how you show up in it. Instead of resisting the chaos or wishing it away, you can lean into it. You can find the lesson, the growth, or at the very least, the humor in it.
How to Practice Amor Fati Without Losing Your Cool
Drop the Illusion of Control
Newsflash: You can’t control everything. (Seriously, let it go.) But you can control your reaction. The next time something doesn’t go according to plan, take a deep breath and ask, “What can I learn from this?” Bonus points if you laugh about it.Celebrate the Chaos
Life’s messy moments are often where the magic happens. It’s the chaos that teaches us patience, resilience, and how to remove almond butter from walls.Focus on What You Can Control
When everything feels out of control, come back to what you can control: your mindset, your actions, and your ability to find gratitude (even if it’s for something small, like a really good cup of coffee).
A Tiny Shift That Can Change Everything
When you stop fighting life and start engaging with it, you realize that every moment—even the hard ones—are shaping you into a stronger, wiser, more grounded version of yourself. And that’s worth celebrating.
If you’re ready to embrace Amor Fati in your daily life (without losing your grip on your goals), I’ve got just the thing. My Time-Blocking Daily Planner is designed to help you plan smarter, not harder. Because while we can’t control what life throws at us, we can make space to handle it like the resilient, adaptable badasses we are.
So here’s your reminder to stop fighting the chaos and start loving it. After all, life isn’t meant to be perfectly planned; it’s meant to be lived.
Cheers to embracing the mess,
