Noticing that I often blame external factors for my problems, I started asking myself: what are the unnecessary I want in life?
When I face a problem, I usually ask what more I should do to overcome it. But then I realized that sometimes the best action is to get rid of what's unnecessary.
Instead of waiting for the right conditions to start what I want to do, I look inward to find where I feel helpless and focus on what I can control—my reaction to situations rather than the situations themselves. Maybe I'm not doing a job I love because I'm afraid to leave an unpleasant one. Instead of asking what I need to achieve a meaningful job, I ask what I'm currently doing that stops me from having the job I find meaningful. When I feel poor, instead of asking what I should do to afford the things I imagine, I ask if I really need or want the things I'm chasing after.
I stop looking for conditions to gain happiness and focus on abandoning things that keep me unhappy. The only things worth pursuing are happiness and peace. These are my anchors to navigate whether I'm wanting the right things.
This introspection saves me from feeling powerless by blaming my problems on factors I can't control. It guides me to take responsibility for my life by asking if I am being mindful in the present moment, content with what I have, or still chasing future desires.
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