Nice thoughts

[Guest guest]

Control:

Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of this principle: some things are within our control, and some things are not. It is only after we have accepted this fundamental rule, and learned to distinguish between what we can and cannot control, that inner tranquility and outer effectiveness become possible.

Where trouble comes from:

Things themselves don't hurt or hinder us. Neither do other people. How we view things and people is a different matter. Strange as it may seem at first, it is our own attitudes and reactions that give us the most trouble. We cannot always choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them.

Legislating for the world:

Circumstances do not arise to meet our desires or expectations. Events happen as they do. People behave according to their own inclinations and what they are faced with - which we may not even be aware of. Don't try to make your own rules that the world is supposed to follow. That is a recipe for frustration. Exercise what influence you can, then accept what you actually get and make the most of it.

Habits:

We are creatures of habit, reacting automatically to events as they happen. It thus matters greatly what our habits are. They are mostly a matter of practice. The oftener we do something, and the more circumstances in which we do it, the more it becomes a habit. Therefore, to make something a habit, do it. To make something not a habit, don't do it. To change a habit, do something else instead.