Not everything in life is fun and pleasant. Some truths are especially hard to accept. However, if we do manage to accept them, our lives will become much easier.
We will be able to take on more responsibility for our well-being and happiness and pursue the things that truly matter. Here are six truths that might not taste sweet but that can make a big difference in your life.
1. Our happiness is our responsibility
You will not be happy if you win the lottery or get married or get that dream job. You will only become happy when you choose to be.
This does not mean that external things cannot influence our happiness. They can. It is much harder to feel happy when there is pain or loss or a difficult, stressful situation or a problem that requires more support, like depression. But regardless of what happens outside, we can take responsibility for our own well-being.
Some people manage to be unhappy while having every privilege and opportunity. Others manage to feel fulfilled and satisfied with what they have. Your happiness depends primarily on how you choose to see the world and yourself, rather than any external thing that can happen.
2. You can’t control everything
It’s tempting to feel in control. We make plans and provisions, and we hope things go according to them. But in reality, there are many things that are very much beyond our control.
When we let go of the reins and accept that not everything is within our power, a big weight can drop from our shoulders. We can’t always be fine or anticipate things. Sometimes, we have to let go of the idea that we can do better and that will allow us to control the world. It will never happen.
3. Everyone has their perspective, and yours is not the only correct one
We have good reasons to hold the views and opinions we hold. But other people have their own good and valid reasons. It can be hard to remember that our view of the world is not the only one, and also that it is not the only correct one.
The world is a complicated place, and there is no single true idea that we can all accept. There are nuances and complications. We need to remember that other people can have their ideas and perspectives, and that they have their good reasons to hold those ideas.
This will help us feel less frustrated and more willing to empathize, listen, and understand. Ultimately, it can strengthen our relationships to others.
4. You cannot change another person, even if you love them
When we first fall in love, we tend to see the person through rose-tinted glasses. But this doesn’t make it true. Little by little, we also discover their flaws and their dark side. But then love can bring a second illusion, more dangerous than the first. It’s the idea that we can change the person we love to be better.
But we cannot change other people to be as we want them to. People can only change if they decide to do so.
5. Luck is a factor in success
This idea goes hand in hand with the belief we are completely in control, but bears mentioning on its own. Luck is something we do not like to admit, but does have a big role in our success. Chance meetings, chance opportunities—these can be defining factors that determine whether we make it or break it.
This is not to say one shouldn’t try and that our hard work has no effect. It’s just that we can do it all right and still not achieve it. Luck plays a role, and it’s important to remember it when judging our progress and the progress of others.
6. It’s not always about you
Another harsh truth to remember is that we are not at the center of the world. Other people do not focus on us as much as we think they do. Things happen for reasons not related to us. Not everything is personal.
Remembering this can also be freeing. If others don’t care as much as we assume, then we are free to experiment and enjoy ourselves without too much pressure.
