Do you know someone who seems to love to wallow in self pity? There are people out there who thrive on unhappiness. Most of them don’t do it intentionally, but they like nothing better than a good audience to listen to them tell you how horrible their life is. And boy, can they tell the story. They weave a tale of woe that could depress the most positive thinking motivational speaker.
Here’s a fact of life: Sometimes life will suck. Bad things happen to good people and good things sometimes happen to bad people. Just don’t get attached to the “suckyness”. At times like these I often think of the parable about the student and the master.
“I’m having a terrible day,” said the student.
“Keep breathing. It will pass,” said the master.
The student did as he was taught and within a few days he found himself enveloped in warm feelings of happiness and fulfillment.
“I did what you said, and today I feel wonderful,” said the student.
“Keep breathing. It will pass,” said the master.
“Most things will be okay eventually, but not everything will be,” writes Cheryl Strayed in her book book, Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar. “Sometimes you’ll put up a good fight and lose. Sometimes you’ll hold on really hard and realize there is no choice but to let go. Acceptance is a small, quiet room.”
I would add this: Acceptance may sometimes feel like an empty room. But If we keep our hearts open, something magical ultimately walks into that room to fill the void.
“In the end,” writes Jack Kornfield, “just three things matter: How well we have lived, how well we have loved, and how well we have learned to let go”
When you must do things you don’t enjoy, do them to the best of your ability, have faith that with determination and practice you will discover a path that suits you, and understand that all things.. both good and bad.. are temporary.
Happiness is nothing more than a state of mind you choose to manifest. So is suffering.
Do your best to manifest good things. Be prepared to ride out the inevitable storms with courage and grace.
And whatever your current situation, always remember that nothing ever stays the same for very long.
Keep breathing, it will pass.
