Sometimes we become troubled about something someone else has – possessions, status, people they love or have loved, even an experience. This jealousy causes us to do “head miles” – obsessively being preoccupied with the situation. The suffering we experience is not only unnecessary but quite in our ability to remedy because our emotions are within us and no one can make us feel what we don’t want to feel. People, places and things can only influence our feelings and we decide how much impact this will have on us. So it is always important to keep in mind that we have the power to react or respond to an external happening in the way we want. Responding is a much healthier choice than reacting which causes us to be out of control. In responding we acknowledge our emotions as they occur and then become assertive to make the change we desire, if appropriate, otherwise let go. With practice it becomes easier.
The Serenity Prayer
God grant me…
the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
the courage to change the things I can
and
the wisdom to know the difference