How many times in your life have you seen two people go through the exact same experience and while one is miserable, the other is laughing and smiling? Life is all about perception. Perception = reality. One of the biggest oversights by most people in this world is not having the realization that you can choose to shape your own reality. Now this doesn’t mean you are in denial or choosing not to see the real situation. All it means is that you are choosing to find the good in even the most troubling situations (Finding Your Silver Lining) regardless of how those around you react.

We all have challenges and difficulties in our lives and it is very easy to fall into the trap of buying into the victim mentality and constantly saying “life is so hard for me”. Far to many people decide that they will focus on all the things they don’t have rather than all the blessings that surround them every single day.

Especially in the United States when most of us live in comfortable homes, have cars, can afford to go to college or at least get loans to go, we are so blessed and so fortunate but in our society sometimes it almost seems more acceptable to complain that you don’t have what you want and you aren’t where you want to be. How often do those around you make these complaints but then never take any action to change the things they want to change?

Then when it all comes down to it, people want to blame “other people”. “If (insert name) would just (change in some way) THEN I would be happy.” This is one of the biggest lies you can ever tell yourself. No one can control you or your happiness. The only time they can have an effect on you is when you allow them to.

I have a challenge for you, one that I guarantee will be difficult but one that can change your life. The next time you are evaluating someone else and how they should change, take a moment, step back, and attempt to improve yourself in that way. “That  person should be more patient…” Maybe this is a challenge for you to improve how patient you are. “They should listen better.” Maybe you aren’t listening as well as you could be to the people around you. “He/She needs to pay attention…” That might be the perfect moment for you to realize it is your time to pay attention and realize just how much control you have over your own happiness and your life.

Once you accept that you have this control and can make these changes, then it is all about taking little steps everyday and trying new things as much as possible to achieve the happiness you know you can have and that you deserve. Take a moment, look inside yourself, and realize your own strength. Once you do this, limits no longer exist, the sky isn’t even the limit, the only limit is the one you set in your mind. Today, challenge yourself to improve and I guarantee by the end of the day you will feel satisfied.