How do we deal with difficult situations? Do we know how to free ourselves from them or are we bogged down? Those who know how to keep their state of mind unaffected by prob-lems are usually able to solve them with their positive and light attitude and approach. Be-coming upset, on the other hand, does not help.
Overthinking is a habit that is making life difficult for many people. We can watch our thoughts to find out whether or not we think excessively about anything. When overthinking becomes a habit, we make a mountain out of a molehill, usually by making negative assump-tions or imagining unhappy scenarios. How can we then have a peaceful life?
Many people complain that they cannot experience peace even when they sit down quietly for some time because their mind keeps wandering. We need to ask ourselves—does the mind wander on its own or are we making it wander? After all, we are the ones creating our thoughts.
Spiritual study and practises help us to create the right kind of thoughts that enable us to be-come calm, strong, and happy. One step in this direction is to do some quiet introspection every day. This helps us examine the quality and direction of our thoughts and make the nec-essary changes to put the mind on the right track. In the absence of this, we can be distracted by all that we see and hear, and lose control over our minds.
Increasing our level of tolerance also helps. In families and workplaces, there are situations that we may need to tolerate. But tolerance should come from a right understanding of the situation, and not compulsion, weakness, or helplessness. When we recognise the fact that the perspective, priorities, and motives of others may be different from ours, it becomes easier to accommodate their point of view and resolve differences. Besides, everything in life will not necessarily be what we want, and we should learn to take this in our stride and make the best of the situation.
Humility and contentment, or not having too many expectations, are two other virtues that help us take the rough with the smooth and live a happy life. After all, getting our own way is not the goal of our life; it may bring temporary satisfaction, but at the expense of our relation-ships and peace of mind. Lasting happiness is what we want and we should keep that in mind.
B.K. Surya is a Rajyoga teacher at the Brahma Kumaris’ headquarters in Mount Abu, Rajasthan.