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Kindle Notes & Highlights
The greatest discovery of my generation is that a human being can alter his life by altering his attitude.
“Change the things that can be changed, accept those that cannot, and have the wisdom to know the difference.”
The need for perfection and the desire for inner tranquility conflict with each other.
The solution here is to catch yourself when you fall into your habit of insisting that things should be other than they are. Gently remind yourself that life is okay the way it is, right now. In the absence of your judgment, everything would be fine.
Fearful, frantic thinking takes an enormous amount of energy and drains the creativity and motivation from our lives. When you are fearful or frantic, you literally immobilize yourself from your greatest potential, not to mention enjoyment. Any success that you do have is despite your fear, not because of it.
When you have what you want (inner peace), you are less distracted by your wants, needs, desires, and concerns. It’s thus easier to concentrate, focus, achieve your goals, and to give back to others.
Remind yourself (before a conversation begins, if possible) to be patient and wait. Tell yourself to allow the other person to finish speaking before you take your turn.
“Life is what’s happening while we’re busy making other plans.”
“I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.”
Your job is to try to determine what the people in your life are trying to teach you.
Being listened to and heard is one of the greatest desires of the human heart. And those who learn to listen are the most loved and respected. Those who are in the habit of correcting others are often resented and avoided.
If you want to be a more peaceful person you must understand that being right is almost never more important than allowing yourself to be happy.
