“The task of a philosopher: we should bring our will into harmony with whatever happens, so that nothing happens against our will and nothing that we wish for fails to happen.”
EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 2.14.7
Sometimes, the trick is to turn “have to” into “get to”. It might sound eye-rollingly simple, but it’s about perspective, yet again!
Instead of trying to control the world, let the world impose its will upon you and see how that goes. Maybe then adapt into what’s needed. Try the opposite of what you think. Turn your world on its head. Just give it a shot!
Do your best to find the joy, wherever it can be found. Try to discover the happiness in new exploration. It’s about how you look at the world, how you look at the day’s tasks. The glass is half full, the happiness is halfway there if you’re open to it.
Finding the Upside
Recently, we had a family trip planned to the Oregon coast, but the forecast was for constant and steady rain with temperatures in the low 60s. If you’ve lived in the area at all, that type of forecast will elicit a knowing nod, with the understanding that things will be cold and miserable.
I told my oldest child, that it was going to be cold and rainy the entire time we’re on vacation. His reaction? “Well, on the upside, we’ll have lots of time to play board games! And sometimes it’s fun just to be in a new place!”
That was truly his very positive reaction to a less-than-ideal real world situation. He looked for an awesome perspective on a frustrating reality. It worked — we had a great time.
