Lou Holtz in his video Do Right said one thing is universal: you are going to have problems. Try as you might, you cannot escape problems long term. They are a natural part of our human experience.
www.tut.com says it this way…
“If you knew how much you have in common with every single person now living in time and space Rosie – in terms of your greatest hopes and dreams, and your deepest fears and worries – you’d wonder how I manage to tell you all apart.
And from this day forward you’d likely think of every single one of them as ‘dearest,’ just as I do.
Tallyho,
The Universe”
Problems are universal. As bad as it may seem, you are not alone. What makes one experience different from another’s is how you react to the problem. Do you feel like you made a mistake? Do you blame yourself? Do you feel hopeless, feel as if there is no way out of the situation?
No matter what, you are not a “bad person.” There are no mistakes. A friend recently told me, “The only mistake you make is if you fail to learn from the experience.”
Deepak Chopra says it this way…“Be willing to stop judging against yourself. Bad urges don’t make you a bad person.”
I have had my share of “bad urges.” How about you?
Another thought…are “bad urges” really “bad”? Don’t good things come from all experiences, no matter how “bad” they are.
Recently feeling completely overwhelmed with a personal issue, my son sent me the following quote. He said his professor gave it to him in college when the going got really tough. It helped him make it through. It has helped me. Perhaps it will help you…
“Be Content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
I was talking with a friend last night, discussing someone who feels as if his life is collapsing around him. My friend took the firm approach that, no matter what, be grateful. No matter how “bad” things seem, his advice is to be grateful. “If you don’t, you are destined to have more and more ‘bad things’ to happen.”
Another perspective comes from this week’s message from Higher Awareness:
“When we are struggling with any challenge, whether it be ill health, a lack of money, a lost job, relationships, an accident, whatever — we need to look for the spiritual learning. We can ask ourselves, “What quality does my soul want me to live more fully?”
Perhaps the most insightful piece of advice comes from Stephen Covey…
“If you start to think the problem is ‘out there,’ stop yourself. That thought is the problem.”
Perhaps the most helpful technique is to guard your thoughts…guard against the negative thoughts and focus on all the things with which to be grateful.
“Be Content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you.”
