"It's not things that upset us but our judgments about things" - Epictetus
This might sound cliché already, but it has a deep truth within it. You don't fully choose what happens to you, but you choose what it means to you.
Sometimes, everything hits you at once. Life forces you to pause, reflect, and recalibrate your path. It is in those moments of silence and struggle that you truly realize who is genuinely by your side, and who was only ever there for the 'good times.' Also, it makes you re-evaluate some of your thoughts, habits, certain beliefs...
Life is full of ups and downs. Expansion and contraction. Happiness and sorrow. Human experience is dual. We all fight our own demons. We all experience the same emotions. Understanding this is essential to develop empathy.
And it's not about denying reality. Acknowledgment and acceptance are the first steps. Once you distinguish what is under your control and what is not, you regain your power and things start to align.
But in the end, while perspective doesn't change certain facts of reality, it is one of the most powerful tools we have to navigate through life.
We move forward.
