The Ripple Effect

The mind is such a fickle thing. One moment it is full of hope and each situation looks promising. The next moment, it is in the throes of despondency about the same situation. The wise say that you need to control your thoughts and your mind. Believe in miracles and they will happen. 'Believe'. An innocuous word which means years of discipline and optimism. 

What should you do when your thoughts take that turn into the lane of gloom? It feels like a slippery slope after that. Every little slight, real or imagined, becomes too big to sweep into the mental crevices - to think about later. Life's problems become huge disappointments that just can't be ignored any more. What should you do then?

Be grateful. Be thankful. Force yourself to think about all those people and moments that made your soul smile, that made you happy to be alive in that moment. Remember the family member for whom you mean the world. Remember the sunset and the solitude where you could witness nature's simple beauty. Remember that movie's dialogue that was so surprising it made you catch your breath. Remember the riot of tastes when you tried some new dish. Remember the moment of lucidity before you got the 'joke' during a stand-up. Remember. And be grateful. 

Nothing is so big or so bad that you can't win over it. Embrace the little problems along with life - It is a package deal. Nobody gets just one aspect of it - everyone has their own mountain to climb. What matters is that you do it with a song in your heart because that's what make the load lighter.