This is neither an original thought nor a magic spell – but I think it might be a good way to go to minimise the kind of suffering we are liable to inflict on ourselves, so I’m writing a reminder to myself.
My seven keys to happiness:
- Accept others as they are.
- Accept yourself as you are.
- Accept what other people give you graciously and don’t require or expect them to give you more than they are able or willing to give.
- Accept you’re unlikely to change any other person, their behaviour or their priorities.
- Adjust your exposure to other people individually depending on how much of them and their behaviour you can deal with.
- Don’t take things personally – you are not the centre of other people’s universes and their behaviour may not have anything to do with you.
- Don’t attach too much importance to anything – everything will pass.