Life Is A Series Of Botheration and Writing Them Down Helps

Life can be seen as a journey from one botheration to another. When you are a student, examinations may look like a botheration, when you are in college getting a job may look like a botheration. And so on and so forth.

At any stage in your life, you will be accosted with several botheration. In some sense, they keep life exciting and tomorrow worth looking forward to. The human mind should be driven by the thought that tomorrow will be brighter and then should strive to make it so.

It is helpful to pen down your botheration at different points in your life. This naming of the animal makes sure you know exactly what you are dealing with. It is important to note that the list of botheration will change throughout various stages of life so you must keep amending your list a well.

The list can be a very simple with the botheration written as line items. You should use the exact feeling that comes to your mind when thinking of a botheration. It is also important to capture the botheration along with why it is so. One example of such a list is given below for ready reference.

• Hate the person you are forced to report into at work because the person is toxic, incompetent, political, unfair and non-transparent
• Dislike specific persons at work because they are long-timers and loyalists who carry a condescending attitude, think too highly of themselves, and are full of conceit
• Dislike a person who reports into you because she is toxic, plays double game and would tell you something and tell others something else.
• Disrespect the leaders in the current organization because they are uninspiring, lack ethics, ignore the toxic long-timers and loyalists
• Stuck in a toxic and bad job and not being able to move out because of not being able to find an opportunity
• Worry about financial freedom because of not being able to earn enough to create wealth that would lead to becoming financially free
• Worry about loosing your job because of economic recession and bad management in the current organization
• Stuck in a career rut because of realizing that your career has reached a dead-end in some sense and you need to change its direction
• Worry about your health because of realizing that you may not have been very careful about it in the past and you need to pay good attention to it now
• Worry that you will never become rich and powerful because of realizing that you are stuck in a certain career choice and with a certain circle of people in your network.

The list can be as simple as above and can include short-term and long-term botheration. In addition, you can also add another column for what action is planned or being taken  by you to address that botheration. That would help immensely.

Meditation and Spirituality in Today's World

The world is becoming increasingly competitive, confusing and complex.

Moreover, the constant churn and change coupled with lack of compassion is forcing many people to fall into despair and depression.

Meditation and spirituality can provide solace in such troubled times.

What do you think?

View the discussion on this at:

https://disqus.com/home/channel/godspiritualityandreligion/discussion/channel-godspiritualityandreligion/meditation_and_spirituality_in_todays_world/

What Is God? Is God Really For Real?

Since ages humans have relied upon science and technology as a means to answer all the whys.

However, there is always a "why" at the end of the series of whys for which the explanation is quite simple yet profound - "that's the way nature works".

This can be understood better with the following illustration. A ball thrown upwards into the sky falls downwards and hits the earth.

Why downwards? Why? The ball is pulled down by the action of gravity. Gravity is a force exerted by two bodies that pulls them closer, in this case earth and the ball.

Why gravity? Why? Gravity is an inherent characteristic which depends on the mass of the two bodies and the distance between them.

Why inherent characteristic? Why? Every mass is composed of atoms which are further composed of electrons, protons, neutrons, etc. The atomic and sub-atomic particles influence the inherent characteristic.

Why influence? Why? That's the way nature works.

Why? The last "why" is where science and technology ends and the concept of God begins. It is possible that humans have answer to another level of why but there will always be that "why" which will remain unanswered.

What then is God? Is God something that can be understood and explained? Is God a physical entity? Is God really for real? These questions have probably no definitive answers. It can however be claimed that God is a concept that transcends physical reality.

Most events that happen to us or happen around us are not controlled by us and depend upon luck or providence. God is a sum effect of all such events. God then is a concept that represents a certain power which is beyond our control.

It is humbling to know that almost 100%, practically everything, of what happens to us and what happens around us is beyond our control.

Religions have taken God to a lesser level of abstraction but God being a concept that transcends physical reality cannot really be fully understood and explained through the philosophies underlying the various religions. In a certain sense it can be said that God is and should be beyond comprehension.

Thinking about Living till the Age of 100 Years?

Living till the age of 100 years is no mean achievement. It would imply the person took care of all the three - character, health and wealth - throughout a very very long innings. It would also mean the person succeeded in exemplifying what some wise man had said "if wealth is gone nothing is gone, if health is gone something is gone and if character is gone everything is gone".

Holding on to character in all situations is very important as that would in turn provide the strength to hold on to health and wealth and even if they are lost to earn them again. Character is what ensures that health and wealth are put to good use by the person. Good character plays an important role in achieving good health and good wealth. Holding on to character for 100 years is undoubtedly extremely difficult but if done, is absolutely commendable and worth emulating.

For living till 100 years of age one ought to stay fit and healthy. With the food and lifestyle one is exposed to in the current times, it is extremely difficult to stay fit and fine. Controlling one's food habits, investing some time on exercising regularly and ensuring adequate rest and relaxation go a long way in helping one stay healthy.

Also it is important not to spend too much time in a bed-ridden state before one passes away. The best thing would be to die all of a sudden while one is engaged in the daily chores and in the worst case not more than a week in the bed before bidding the final adieu. Those who spend weeks, months and at times even years on the bed before they pass away may live long but would undergo tremendous amount of pain and suffering in embracing death. Death should ideally be something one should long for at the end of a long life, a life which was lived well!

Finally, living long has a financial angle to it. One would typically start earning when one reaches the age of 25 and retire at the age of 60 years. For living till the age of 100 years one would have to save and invest whatever is earned in 35 years (from age 25 to age 60) to last for 40 years (from age 60 to age 100).

In the earning phase of one's life, one has to ensure savings and investments are planned even though one has to spend part of the money earned for necessary expenses (utility bills, etc.), taking care of liabilities (like loan payments, etc.) and taking care of family and social obligations (kid's education, marriage, etc.). The retirement kitty has to be attended to throughout the working life to ensure one has enough money to sustain  the financial burden of living till the age of 100 years.

Lately, the wealth part has come under severe attack due to the turmoil and uncertainly in the world economy. Earlier one could be assured of working from the age of 25 years till the age of 60 years. However, in the current times, retirement can come abruptly. One might be 45 and suddenly find oneself jobless any fine day due to reasons over which one has no control.

In  light of the above, one needs to exercise frugality and prudence in spending the money one earns. This may in fact require one to become extremely stingy at least in the earlier part of one's earning life. Money thus saved should be invested wisely, earnings from the investments should not be spent rather re-invested to increase earnings potential. The cycle of investment and earnings re-investment in combination with the power of compounding is a very useful financial concept that can help one manage one's life beyond retirement at the age of 60 or even earlier, if it comes to that.

Don't Hold Back Long

The suggestion to say or do a thing that is holding a person back is a wonderful idea. It is also true that saying or doing a thing is helpful in flushing out the blockage in a person's thought process so that he/she can then start thinking beyond and move on.

This happens in both cases - whether the outcome of saying or doing a thing is positive or not so positive. Not saying or doing a thing for a very long time can lower self confidence and create mental stress as well. So in that sense this is a good psychological method for a person to keep mentally relaxed and charged up.

On the other hand, it is important and helpful to take a lot of care while using this method. Overuse of this method by a person can result in him/her appearing overconfident and brash, or even rude, and others may look for ways to avoid such a person.

In this respect, Aristotle's saying regarding anger ("Anybody can become angry - that is easy, but to be angry...") is applicable to a great extent. It is easy to say or do a thing but to say or do a thing at the right time, in the right way and to the right degree is very important.

When Someone Close to You Falls Seriously Sick

Seeing someone close to you go through serious sickness and witnessing the pains and tears that accompany it is both physically and emotionally draining. Serious sickness is also financially draining if one is not  able to afford the treatment comfortably. One wants the sick person to be completely cured and that too quickly. In case the process of healing gets prolonged the emotional stress generated reaches very high levels.

The flow of various activities like talking to the doctor, buying medicines and injections, seeing the patient being administered the medicines, helping the patient consume the medicines at the prescribed time in the prescribed dosage, watching the progress of healing makes one go through various mood changes. This is tougher in case the patient happens to be a child.

In an overall sense, the experience of someone close to you falling seriously sick is a humbling experience in life. The fact that life is so vulnerable and fragile stares at your face and makes you realize the nothingness of many things we take so seriously at times. Not only that one comes to terms with one's own vulnerability and mortality.

It also helps one acquire a philosophical outlook towards life and towards the very purpose of it. The only certainty in life is death and a close encounter with serious sickness or death is a good eye opener and recalling such experiences throughout one's life helps one stay humble and in touch with ground reality.

The fact that almost no one alive at this moment will be alive 100 years later is a fact that no one should ignore. There is no reason to get sad or anxious about this fact. Awareness of this fact should instead help one to have complete peace of mind. No fear, no failure, no humiliation, no happiness, no sadness should be viewed big enough for one to loose one's peace of mind.

Bhagvada Geeta provides an excellent take on life. The focus on Karma (actions) as the only Dharma (religion) without any expectations of Fal (fruit or outcome) is a very powerful concept which helps one to enjoy life through the various deeds one would perform from birth until death.

Staying Alive, Becoming Successful

For all forms of life the purpose of life is “staying alive” but for human beings the purpose of life seems to be “becoming successful”.

If one were to go by the mainstream discussions and discourses in media, government communications and corporate dealings, it might appear that the primary purpose of any person’s existence is to become successful – which would mean a combination of various adjectives like powerful, influential, wealthy.

Success in different fields of human endeavor may have different connotations though – like for movie stars success is related to popularity, for politicians success is related to being elected again and again, for employees in a company success is related to becoming CEO eventually, etc.

Somehow human beings, perhaps because they control the planet, have glorified their importance over other things on the planet. It appears as if what we want, what we are capable of, what we think is right guides the developments and advancements on this planet, starting from the time the first living being of the species homo sapiens walked on it. Purpose of life in such a context is defined by human beings as “becoming successful” unlike other forms of life whose purpose is simply “staying alive”.

However, it’s perfectly fine to fail. Failing is not a crime though one may get punished for it, at times too severely to recover from it. In the history of mankind, there are plenty of instances of people succeeding as well as failing. Looking back at history, those successes and failures have shaped the world to become what it is today but those failures and successes mean nothing directly to an individual who is alive today.

Try to Live to 100 and Beyond but be Ready to Die Any Moment

Death is the only reality of life. Rest everything is illusory, transient and what happens to us while we are on the way to meeting our death at a certain moment.

When we die we need just 6 ft by 3 ft hole to be burned in or buried under. All the great things we did or failed to do, all the material possessions we acquired or failed to acquire, all the nice things we said or failed to say, come to a sort of nothingness.

It is painful to think that your father and mother will grow old and weak, might fall sick as well and eventually die one day. There is no reason to assume this will not happen to you. Hence it is important to treat your parents well and take care of them when they are alive. Praying with folded hands in front of their photos on a wall after they die is meaningless.

Stay with them, touch them, hear them and listen to them. It is better to talk to them, understand their concerns, share beautiful moments with them, take them out to places they want to see, make them feel happy and blissful while they are alive. This will help them meet their deaths happily and peacefully. And it will help you also to meet you death happily and peacefully as you won't carry the guilt and regret that you couldn't make your parents life happy when they were alive.

Like your parents you will also grow old and weak, might fall sick as well and eventually die one day. Like you and your parents, your kids and their kids (and in fact everyone) will grow old and weak, might fall sick as well and eventually die one day. So be nice with your kids and enjoy time with them. Touch them, hear them and listen to them.  It will help you and your kids to meet death happily and peacefully as neither you nor they would carry the guilt and regret that either couldn't make the others life happy when alive.

It might also happen that your kids die before you die. In that case also you will have no guilt and regret if you have done the above. It can also happen that your kids don't do unto you as you did for your parents. Don't even expect it. If your kids do all that you did for your parents good and if not even better.

There is no point in waiting for tomorrow to start doing these things. It's better to start right now. Remember time is running out for all of us. The journey towards death starts the very moment one takes birth.

Watching someone die is a very mind numbing and humbling experience. More so if the person dying meets with an untimely death. But then death doesn't care about the time. It will come when it has to come. Seeing someone die and being consigned to flames is the most beautiful and pure truth of one's existence. It tells you your ultimate destination. Becoming a president, a CEO, a general, etc. is not the end point of life, dying is.

Death, however, should not mean one stops living because one has to die one day. It rather means one needs to live life to its fullest extent so that one is prepared to die when the time comes.

One should try to live to 100 and beyond but live each moment as if that's the last moment of one's life. Being ready to die any moment is the ultimate success one can achieve in life. For keeping oneself grounded to reality remember your death, as of anyone else, matters a zilch in this universe. Sun, moon, stars, earth will go on with their motions even if all of us were to die at this very moment. We are born to die and we should welcome it happily at all moments.

Always Remember, We Have to Die One Day

The way most of us live it appears as if we assume we would never die. Every day we go about doing our daily chores in a ritualistic manner assuming we will be doing the same tomorrow as well.

Nothing is farther from the truth. We must always remember that we have to die one day and that day could be any day. Death is a great equalizer that way. After our dead bodies are burnt or buried it is in some way "returned to nature". This means that we must always remain "down to earth".

The constant realization of the inevitability of death is a powerful method to keep one's ego at check. All of us - the famous, the infamous and the not-at-all famous - join and stand in the line of the "waiting to die" the moment we take birth in this world.

Death will come to all. And it can be said that for all of us the key question regarding death is not if but when. We must always be prepared to die but until then try to live a wholesome life each day and each second. Whenever one is felling depressed or exuberant it is a good time to do a reality check and repeat to oneself "we have to die one day".

If You Want to Reach Safely on Time then Start Early

The philosophy underlying the statement "If You Want to Reach Safely on Time then Start Early" deserves a careful analysis. There is an analogy here to safe driving but the implications are much beyond.

Many people have the habit of driving fast (which might be unsafe at times) and at times rash (which is definitely unsafe at any time) to reach where they want to on time. These people will not consider starting a little early so that they reach safely on time and in good condition. It seems so ironical that despite fully realizing the value of starting early most people do otherwise.

This principle applies to many other parts of our lives. Some of them are explained briefly as under:

Driving

Many people start late and to compensate for the delay drive fast and rash assuming they will indeed be able to cover up the time deficit. They realize that this strategy doesn't work

Investment

Many people start investing late and to compensate for the delay invest heavily assuming they will indeed be able to cover up the wealth deficit. They realize that this strategy doesn't work. Those with finance background would probably know the reason also - compounding.

Examination

Many students start preparing for their examinations late and to compensate for the delay study day and night assuming they will indeed be able to cover up the knowledge deficit. They realize that this strategy doesn't work.

There are many more examples that can be cited to show why it is important that "If You Want to Reach Safely on Time then Start Early".

What is God?

Humans have relied upon science and technology as a means to answer all whys. However, there is always a "why" at the end of the series of whys for which the explanation is quite simple yet profound "that's the way nature works". This can be understood better with the following illustration.

A ball thrown upwards into the sky falls downwards and hits the earth.

Why downwards? The ball is pulled down by the action of gravity. Gravity is a force exerted by two bodies that pulls them closer, in this case earth and the ball.

Why gravity? Gravity is an inherent characteristic which depends on the mass of the two bodies and the distance between them. Why inherent characteristic? Every mass is composed of atoms which are further composed of electrons, protons, neutrons, etc. The atomic and sub-atomic particles influence the inherent characteristic.

Why influence? That's the way nature works.

Why? The last "why" is where science and technology ends and the concept of God begins. It is possible that humans have answer to another level of why but there will always be that "why" which will remain unanswered.

What then is God? Is God something that can be understood and explained? Is God a physical entity? Is God really for real? These questions have probably no definitive answers. It can however be claimed that God is a concept that transcends physical reality.

Most events that happen to us or happen around us are not controlled by us and depend upon luck or providence. God is a sum effect of all such events. God then is a concept that represents a certain power which is beyond our control. It is humbling to know that almost 100%, practically everything, of what happens to us and what happens around us is beyond our control.

Religions have taken God to a lesser level of abstraction but God being a concept that transcends physical reality cannot really be fully understood and explained through the philosophies underlying the various religions. In a certain sense it can be said that God is and should be beyond comprehension.

Cash Comes from Competency, Connection and Chance

One of the purpose in life is to become successful. In this materialistic world success is generally seen as equivalent to how much cash comes one's way (this is probably true except for certain professions and certain personalities).

Cash and Competency

Competency is the ability of a person to perform the activities demanded by a profession in such a manner that the person is seen as the "go to guy". Examples include famous cricketers who could do wonders with the bat or the ball or both.

Competency allows a person to be able to leverage an opportunity if it comes the person's way. Without competency a person can get an opportunity but fail to make use of it to become successful.

Cash and Connection

Connection is the network of people a person has been able to cultivate who can in some manner influence the opportunities that come a person's way. Example includes a promising cricketer getting noticed by the selection committee due to a string of stellar performances.

Connection allows a person to be considered by those who matter to notice and provide opportunities to the person. Without connection a person with competency also may not get the opportunity.

Cash and Chance

Chance is the blessing of an invisible hand that makes a person convert an opportunity to one's advantage. This is where the rubber meets the road and cash comes flowing down to the person's pockets. Example includes a cricketer playing a match where other players under-perform.

Chance allows a person to capitalize an opportunity that comes the person's way. Without chance a person with competency and connection may fail to leverage the opportunity.

Cash Comes from Competency, Connection and Chance

The role of competency, connection and chance is pivotal to success in the form of loads of cash. It can be said that cash comes from competency, connection and chance.

The timing of connection and chance is important in ensuring cash does indeed come. For example if someone takes the video of a promising cricketer which is watched by the selection committee after twenty years it will certainly do no good for the person.

Killing Our Ego

Killing our ego is the secret to happiness.

And one of the best ways to achieve the state of "killed ego" is to follow the famous Sanskrit Shloka on self-less service.

This is explained in further detail in the blog post "Karmanya Vadhikaraste Maa Phaleshu Kadacha".

Unfortunately our own ego comes in the way of killing the ego.

Questions like "why me?" or "why not me?" tend to arise in our minds very often.

These questions give rise to the feeling that:

• I am somehow different
• I am better than others
• I am special and unique
• I am here to do something great

We tend to forget that in the end the entire life of a person is nothing.

It can, at best, become a chapter or a footonote in some pages of history books or a dedicated page or some pages on Wikipedia.

This is summed up succintly in the blog post Reduced to One Page of Wikipedia.

The efforts and achievement of a person is meant to become that one page.

The moment one kills the ego life becomes simple.

Then thoughts like "good, it’s me" or "great, it’s not me" assume significance.

Achieving or becoming something in life becomes immaterial.

We Never Reach Anywhere We Just Pass Through

I have always thought that we never reach anywhere we just pass through to reach somewhere else and this goes on. This also means that we may probably achieve something or a lot from zero (rags to riches) but whatever we achieve in life is never final and ending! We may achieve something more or different. It is also possible that we may loose some part or all of what we have achieved (from riches to rags). That's why it's important to live life as if you are an observer rather than an actor.

Life is a Wonderful Experience

Life is full of surprises, both pleasant and nasty. Life may offer someone all riches and prosperity, or offer someone everything and then take all of it away, or from nothing give everything. Life may be more than fair to someone and grossly unfair to someone. However, all in all life is an experience worth going though.

Life Can Throw Nasty Surprises at Us

 There's an incident which deserves a mention here. While working with a small company passing through a bad phase I was told by both the owners that my role is critical and I need not worry. And then without any clue one of the major initiatives was cancelled.

One of the owner started playing games with me. He made me go through an uncertain period with utter lack of professionalism and ethics. After being confronted by me in a professional manner he said he will come back. And he did in a day or two, but in a very very mean, unprofessional and insensitive manner. I still remember the words "we have decided to shunt the X department".

Some of the Nasty Surprises Can Get Nastier

The other owner who used to fake being a professional never had the courtesy and courage to come and talk to me directly. I always felt he was an unethical, spineless, untrustworthy and very very wily like a fox.

After my departure from that company I came to know that the two unethical, shady characters had started another company. In fact the new company was started before the old started dying. It seems they only killed the old company. They very unprofessionally stole the dying company's customers (it was by sheer chance I came to know of this from a person who used to report into me in that very company).

In the End the Nasty Surprises Teach Us More about Life

It's clear that life can be nasty, ruthless and totally insensitive. However the above bad experience was also a good teacher of life. Life did not stop there but took me into a direction which was painful initially but ended in a better  shape in the end.

After having been through such an experience it's my firm belief that we never reach anywhere we just pass through to reach somewhere else and this goes on. This also means that whatever we achieve in life is never final and ending - neither for me nor for the two wily characters through whom life taught me a lot.

Karmanya Vadhikaraste Maa Phaleshu Kadachan

The famous Sanskrit shloka "Karmanya Vadhikaraste Maa Phaleshu Kadachan" offers a strategy for living life that is incomparable.

This sholka can be literally translated into English as "Continue with your efforts and never worry about the results".

At first thought it might appear that it runs on the face of result-orientation in today's society.

On the contrary just the opposite is actually true.

Individuals and institutions are so much focused on return on investment today that the first question that arises always is "what's in it for me?".

However at times this leads into unhealthy competition.

Rather than trying to do one's best the attention shifts to prove that one has done the best as compared to the others.

And in the process the results achieved are lesser than what could have been otherwise.

The Sanskrit shloka does indeed say that one should "never worry about the results" but it implies very subtly that one should be so much engrossed in taking the actions that complete, unwavering attention should be on taking the actions in the best possible manner and certainly with concern about the results but in a very very healthy manner.

And if one takes actions in this way the results will certainly be the best possible one could have achieved.

Difficult Situations

A good test of one's real strengths is how he or she handles difficult situations.

And difficult situations can arise in various ways.

Here is a list of some difficult situations that one must learn how to handle:

• One misses the train or a flight
• One looses the original copies of some important documents
• One meets with an accident on the road
• One is diagnosed with life threatening disease
• One is fired from the job
• One looses a close family member or an acquaintance
• One is passed over for promotion
• One is given a low performance rating
• One is criticized in full public view
• One is challenged by someone else wrongly or mistakenly
• One gets into a heated argument or unhealthy exchange of words

Learning from Mistakes

All of us make mistakes. And I think making mistakes is not a bad thing as long as one gets another shot at it (at times this may not be possible and one mistake is enough to wipe out one's existence, growth or future plans). Another aspect of making mistakes is that one must learn from it. Making the same mistake again and again should be unpardonable.

I have come across many people who don't seem to realize the gravity of not learning from the mistakes. Some of the people I have interacted with in my professional career seem to carry a casual attitude to mistakes and learning.

There are some who get disheartened easily and there some who are overenthusiastic and at times utterly unrealistic. The learning from past may not remain relevant in the current situation so one must be willing to unlearn and then learn new things as well. This is another aspect of learning.

Dying Happy and Healthy

One must strive to live and die as a happy and healthy person.

Dying happy and healthy is the epitome of a successful life as it means the person has been able to achieve most of the desires (happy) and has been able to enjoy the achievements as well (healthy).

Happiness is a relative concept which essentially embodies the following aspects:

• Understanding one's god-gifted inherent talents and potential - everyone is unique
• Achieving what one is truly capable of - stretch out without breaking apart
• Living a balanced life - both in personal life and profession
• Not regretting any moment in life - no regrets, no if and should

Heath is a holistic concept which embodies the following aspects:

• Physical condition - body immunity, vital organs, accidents
• Mental and emotional condition - calmness, relaxed mind
• Spiritual condition - philosophical outlook, purpose of life

Work Life Balance

What is more important for a person - work commitments or personal commitments? The best answer is probably "it depends".

Work Life

Most of us work not because we like the organization we work with or want to see it succeed but because if we don't perform we'll be out. Not having a job will not only have immediate financial impact but also play havoc with one's emotional and mental constitution.

Personal Life

At the same time, it can be said that personal commitments should generally come before work commitments. The reason: one will not generally change one's family and friends in one's lifetime but will change the place of work multiple times.

With the workplace one's commitment stops at a certain level - it usually is never emotional in nature (of course there are persons who do feel emotionally connected to their workplace). With one's family and personal life the attachment is usually highly emotional and at times irrational also.

Work Life or Personal Life

So where then is the need for balance? Well... for being able to enjoy one's personal life and provide material comfort to one's family, money is needed and that makes work important. And it doesn't stop here, we all have our big, "always wanting more and more" egos to satisfy.

One always wishes to buy newer, bigger, costlier car... and hence needs more and more money. It is important to make sure that not only one keep's one's job but also grows progressively in the professional life. Getting promoted to the next position not only brings in more money but also makes the ego feel nice and good.

Balancing Work Life and Personal Life

So the conclusion is, both work and personal life are important. The key to balancing the commitments on these two aspects to to understand the situation, set priorities and act accordingly. However, it must always be remembered that doing progressively well in work is the means to the end of having a great and fulfilling personal life!

Change, Accept or Quit

Many a times we come across situations where we not only don't like what's happening to us or around us but also seem to have almost no control over the situation. Such situations make one unhappy and unsettled. How should one approach such situations? One must choose amongst the following to be happy in life:

Change

If one doesn't like what's happening one should try to change it. The attempt to change should be an honest one based on fair considerations. Sometimes one may be actually be wrong but may think otherwise so it's important to realize that the situation is actually not right and needs to be changed. The second aspect is that one must be willing to bring about a change based on one's values and beliefs.

Accept

After one has tried to change and failed one can simply accept what's happening. This is not to be seen as a failure as everyone has inherent limitations which are extremely difficult to overcome. And even if that is possible the cost to overcome these may not be worth it at times.

Quit

After one has tried to change and failed one has another option and that is to quit. Quitting may be seen as a sign of weakness but is really not. One must understand the fact that one is not good at everything and can make wrong decisions. Quitting should be considered as correcting a wrong decision. One would surely get down from a bus if one wants to travel to a place other than where the bus is headed for, even if initially one wanted to go where the bus is headed for.