I used to be one of those people who thought shouting at the top of my voice or being aggressive meant I’d be heard, crying all the time meant I was understood, and being considerate all the time also meant it’d be reciprocated back to me. What a rude shocker!
Our response, whether good or bad, matters a lot. Life comes with its ebbs and flows that can shatter one’s plans, day, or live itself in an instant, but our response is what determines whether we live on to overcome those hurdles or just live- which sometimes is all we can do.
Fighting life’s obstacles or holding back from celebrating the goodness life brings, saving pain or bliss for later, is a self-inflicted punishment on ourselves. It is better to understand that no matter what we do, it doesn’t change the outcome of things for us. What changes is the better mental capacity, physical stamina, emotional intelligence, and spiritual discernment it takes to live on?
Life may throw you bitterness, but it may also provide you solid reasons why you should jump at it (trust me, it always gives you the guts), but choosing to remain calm and understand what life is all about in the first place will aid you to act more authentically. In a way that, perhaps, when it all gets better (because weirdly speaking, circumstances flip), you’d be so proud of yourself and that method.
So, what kind of mindset about life do we need to have, that would serve us to manage their ugly triggers better?
a.) By understanding that life isn’t a bed of roses
it’s meant to test you and lift you through the same experience, depending on your choice to see it this way and respond wisely.
b.) By understanding that the majority of life occurrences are out of our control
Life happens no matter how good or bad we are. Even in relationships, for instance, being a good person doesn’t always mean you’d get the same treatment back. On the other hand, getting ill-treated doesn’t equate to being bad. Life presents both good and “bad” phenomena to both good and “bad” people, mixed. So, quit fighting what is totally out of your control.
c.) Understanding you can’t take life too personally or seriously
Yes, losing one’s life is serious, it’s irreversible, likewise, protecting one’s life. There’s no need to grip onto life too seriously. Sometimes it’s best to just live. And like I initially stated, living sometimes is all the best you can do. Nothing else. Taking life too personally would be hijacking the work of the creator and the creation of the Universe — this is an overwhelming pressure to put upon your shoulders.
d.) Life’s success isn’t linear
Sometimes success is crooked. The path you’ve followed or been mentored to use might not lead you to the destination you seek. It’s best to enjoy life as a process rather than focus on its outcome, that’s true success. No one knows how life will turn out for them, but we can improve our chances through our efforts, whether we want it to go successfully as “planned” or not. Sometimes the unexpected leads us to the expected we didn’t even know we had, and other times, the reverse is the case.
Final words:
No matter what life throws at you, your response is what matters most. Your reaction doesn’t change the outcome of things, rather it may change the course of things, perhaps for the future. Choosing to respond aggressively or aptly to life’s happenings is solely based on our understanding of what our priorities are. If you choose to improve your mental health for instance, then you must avoid anything that upsets and deteriorates it, devoid of the unchangeable life ebbs. On the other hand, If you want to bask in life flows, the comfortable parts, then you must understand by so doing, you’re choosing to fully live.
Thanks for taking the time to read.
