11 November 2021
“Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced”
Søren Kierkegaard
Reflection
Sometimes I find out that I have stepped into a state of whining and complaining: "The technology does not work as I thought, the weather is awful, someone has done something I do not like…" The world seems to be against me and I step into a victim role. When I find myself in this state, I can - on a good day - get out of it. Sometimes I remind myself of someone I admire and think about how that person would have acted. Even if complaining is easy and addictive, it’s such a relief to step out of the victimhood and instead take responsibility and do something pro-active.
Today's exercise
1 Stop yourself when you find yourself complaining, whining and taking on a victim role.
2 Say to yourself: “I have a thought that…”
3 Evaluate this thought:
a) Is it something you can’t do anything about (for example the weather)?
or
b) Is it something you can do anything about (for example, what kind of clothes are you wearing)?
4 a) Observe what you can’t change, examine your thoughts with an inner smile, letting them pass without clinging to them.
or
b) Do something that changes the situation.
Tip of the day Make a commitment with yourself: Whenever you get aware that you have positioned yourself into a victim role, stop doing it and do something proactive.
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