10 Surprising Ways Montaigne’s Essays Can Change Your Life Today

Michel de Montaigne, the 16th-century French nobleman, invented the literary essay—and in doing so, he may have quietly invented modern self-help. At a time when Europe was wracked by religious war and plague, Montaigne retreated to his study, surrounded by books and sunlight, and began to ask the question that still haunts us: How should we live? His answers, scattered across hundreds of pages, are never dogmatic or final. Instead, they are invitations—to curiosity, to reflection, to gentle self-acceptance.

1. Ask Better Questions

Montaigne’s genius was not in finding answers, but in asking questions. He wondered about everything: friendship, love, aging, death, even the taste of melons. In a world obsessed with certainty, he taught that wisdom begins with curiosity. Try it: next time you feel stuck, ask yourself, “What would Montaigne wonder about here?”

2. Don’t Worry About Death

After surviving a near-fatal accident, Montaigne realized that death is just a few bad moments at the end of life, not worth a lifetime of anxiety. Accepting mortality, he found, frees us to savor the present. In a world where death lurks in headlines and health scares, his calm acceptance is radical and healing.

3. Pay Attention to Ordinary Life

Montaigne’s essays are full of small, vivid details: the sound of a bird, the warmth of sunlight, the sweetness of solitude. He teaches us to notice life as it happens, to find joy in the everyday. This mindful attention is a powerful antidote to distraction and burnout.

4. Embrace Your Imperfections

Montaigne was famously forgetful and slow to learn. Instead of seeing these as flaws, he celebrated them. He believed that embracing our ordinariness allows us to live more lightly, without the burden of perfectionism.

5. Read for Pleasure, Not Perfection

With a library of over a thousand books, Montaigne read widely but not systematically. He browsed for pleasure, often forgetting what he read, and saw books as companions rather than burdens. Let go of the pressure to remember everything; let reading be a joy, not another task.

6. Befriend Yourself

“The greatest thing in the world is to know how to belong to oneself,” Montaigne wrote. He believed that self-acceptance is the foundation of happiness. Spend time alone, get to know your quirks, and treat yourself with the kindness you’d offer a friend.

7. Find Strength in Friendship

Montaigne’s friendship with La Boétie was legendary—a meeting of minds and hearts. Through love and loss, Montaigne discovered that true friendship is a source of resilience and joy, a shelter in life’s storms.

8. Let Go of What You Can’t Control

Living through war and plague, Montaigne learned to let go of the illusion of control. He teaches us to accept uncertainty and focus on what we can influence: our attention, our choices, our attitudes.

9. Write Your Way to Clarity

Montaigne’s essays are a record of his attempts to understand himself. Writing, he found, is a way to clarify thoughts, process emotions, and make peace with life’s complexity. Try journaling as a way to untangle your mind.

10. Live Lightly, Love Deeply

In the end, Montaigne’s wisdom is simple: live lightly, savor the present, love deeply, and let yourself be human. His essays remind us that life is not a problem to be solved, but a mystery to be lived.

So next time you’re overwhelmed by the demands of modern life, remember Montaigne’s gentle voice: ask questions, pay attention, let go, and above all, be kind to yourself. The art of living, after all, is mostly the art of being present.