Count your blessings

Richard Carlson, the self-help author, points out that though the major part of the day – 90% of it – went well, we tend to focus on the 10% of it that did not.

It is strange but true – very often, we allow ourselves to be upset over little things, things that are not important and do not possess much meaning in our lives. However, instead of overlooking them, we blow them out of proportion, creating mountains of what are mole-hills. We allow them to rob us of our peace and happiness.

When somebody on the street is rude, or, a traffic jam delays us or, the train you take every day is late -- any such occurrence could spoil our mood and overshadow all other events of the day. It may even stay in the mind and reach the dinner table, compounding not only our troubles, but making life difficult for others too.

Richard Carlson, the self-help author, has aptly called this the 90 – 10 trap. He points out that though the major part of the day – 90% of it – went well, we tend to focus on the 10% of it that did not. Let us say that there are ten different goals you set out for the day. Nine of them turn out satisfactorily, but the tenth was a disappointment. Instead of acknowledging that most of the day went well, we fret and fume and to top it all, snap at others. 

In such a situation, it helps to remember that this world has not been created for any single individual and it therefore cannot be in accordance with a single person’s wishes. It is only by being patient that we can retain our calm and composure. Few things, after all, are an emergency. We can also learn to be forgiving and compassionate. Adopting this attitude will protect us from the ill-effects of anger and frustrations. No one is perfect and we should be wise enough to accept this truth.

Also, problems are a part of Life and they come and go. We must focus our minds on what is important. Small things can bother us only
if we allow them to. It is part of human nature to focus too much on the negative.

Certainly, there are aspects to life that are hard and stressful, but there are many things to be grateful for. If we can do this, we will discover a sure source of comfort and encouragement.