It isn’t worth getting upset or stressed about minor issues.  Minor issues should be quickly overcome in order to save energy for the major obstacles of life. My grandmother would tell a story of Tom; a homeless, old man.  So overwhelmed by his situation of poverty and loneliness that he could no longer endure his existence. He climbed a tall tree to consume the very last item of food that he had left; a banana. After eating it, he would then dash himself to the ground and feel like giving up. As Tom contemplated this moment, he watched the banana peel drift to the ground. Suddenly, out of seemingly nowhere, a man appeared below and ravishingly ate the banana peel.  Needless to say, Tom could not believe that there could have been someone needier than him. He had an epiphany about the meaning of his life and what direction he should be heading.

Change surrounds us all. It is the one constant thing in our life; change. Change in our lives comes as a result of a crisis, as a result of choice or as a result of chance. One sure thing though; when change comes our way, it will challenge us, and force us to reconsider how we live our lives. We cannot avoid change and the more we resist it, the tougher our life becomes.

It’s so very easy to get caught up in the many irritations of life; those little things that makes us see red day after day – the highway traffic congestion, awful service at agencies, an overbearing coworker who is bossy and intrusive, the meddling in-laws. We then exaggerate the importance of life’s tribulations and under the direct influence of stress, our minds are overwhelmed and we feel sad and anxious. Our visual field is narrowed, making the problems more difficult to deal with. Yet it is totally up to us – do we make a change or not? We all have the power of choice that enables us to activate positive change in our lives.

Same way with our thoughts. Thoughts come and they go, but we are free to choose at any period of time which thoughts to hold on to and which to let go. If we are sure that the situation will pay off in the end we hold on. But when that is not the case, letting go is the only logical choice. Letting go of life’s hurdles, although a difficult feat to accomplish, always feel good.

Acting on our power of choice provides us with more opportunity to change our lives for a more fulfilled and happier one.