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How to Keep Your Problems in Perspective
November 7, 2019

Can you remember what was bothering you a year ago? A month ago? How about last Wednesday? I didn’t think so.

If you can’t remember your problems back then, then what does that tell you about your problems now? It means that very soon they won’t matter at all. They will fade into nothingness just like all the troubles you faced in your past.

Whether you’re sick of your job, upset over a recent rejection, or going through a bad breakup, someday none of it will matter anymore. It will just be another distant memory void of the emotion you carry with it now.

However, despite all this, the majority of us (myself included) carry our pain from negative life events with us wherever we go. When something “bad” happens, we beat ourselves up, complain to our friends or even hurt someone we love.

But what if you could change the tune in your mind? What if you could remind yourself during those difficult moments that none of this will matter one day?

Here’s a story that’s helped me do just that.

 

This Too Will Pass

Centuries ago in the Middle East, there lived a king who was constantly fluctuating between happiness and depression. The slightest thing would cause him to get greatly upset and any happiness would quickly turn into despair.

A day finally came when the king became tired of the way he was and went to seek treatment for his suffering. He sent for the wisest man in the city who had been rumored to be enlightened.

When the wise man came to the palace, the king explained “I want to be balanced, happy and peaceful like you. Can you give me that? I will pay any price you ask.”

The wise man said, “I may be able to help you, but the price is too great for even you to pay. Therefore, I will deliver it as a gift if you honor it.” The king agreed and the wise man went away for two weeks.

When he returned, he handed the king a small box. The king opened the box and found a gold ring inside with some words inscribed on it. The ring read “This too will pass.” The king asked the wise man what the meaning of this was.

The wise man said, “Wear this always. Whatever happens, before you call it good or bad, touch the ring and read the inscription. With this ring, you’ll always be at peace.”

 

The Modern-Day Fix

In this modern-day, a gold ring might not be the look you’re going for but the message still remains true centuries later. “This too will pass.”

Whatever you’re going through right now is temporary. Whether you got denied at a recent job interview or lost an important client, it will pass. It always does. And a year from now it won’t matter.

Try to remember this whenever times get tough. I recommend adding a page in the Notes App on your iPhone for mantras like these. Whenever your day starts to go sour, open up your “Mantra” page and find sayings like this one to keep everything in perspective.

Once you start to see your troubles as temporary, brighter light will shine upon your days.

 

 

 

 

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