当与您的一个以前的朋友或熟人交往时，您应该特别小心。否则，您将失去自己。如果您对“他会认为我很无聊并且不会像他以前那样对待我的想法感到困扰，请记住，一切都是有代价的。不可能改变您的行为，并且仍然与您以前相同。
(You should be especially careful when associating with one of your former friends or acquaintances not to sink to their level; otherwise you will lose yourself. If you are troubled by the idea that 'He'll think I'm boring and won't treat me the way he used to,' remember that everything comes at a price. It isn't possible to change your behavior and still be the same person you were before.)
反思Epictetus的智慧，与过去的朋友或熟人重新建立联系时要谨慎行事。与他们互动可能会诱使您采用与您的真实自我不符的行为，这可能导致您的身份丧失。 Recognizing this risk is important, as changing your actions without evolving as a person can have consequences.
很自然地担心别人如何看待您，尤其是当您担心以前的朋友可能会发现您不欣赏或对待您的情况有所不同。但是，这种心态强调了个人成长所涉及的权衡。行为的任何转变都不可避免地改变了您的身份。因此，必须忠于自己，而不是屈服于过去的关系的压力。