It could be worse

Our day-to-day challenges are sometimes overwhelming. As we realize we are losing control of the situation, we throw our hands up and cry, "why me?" This may be a time to pause, remove ourselves, and reflect on what is really going on. Is the situation truly as bad as it seems? Or are we catastrophizing and making it worse in our own minds? Often problems resolve themselves and are quickly forgotten, with or without our panic.

It can be helpful to consider the challenges other people have faced. Challenges which didn't turn out so well. We might ask ourselves how the captain of the Titanic felt when he came to the realization that he had lost control of the situation. Few of us will ever face that sort of challenge. Perhaps we should keep this image in mind when things get chaotic in our own lives. The image of that sinking ship helps us maintain perspective. From there we can approach our own problems with a different frame of mind - an understanding that things could have been much worse.

[Image credit: Public Domain, National Maritime Museum]

Be Virtuous

Good and bad can happen any day. We may win the lottery. We might be involved in a car accident. We could land our dream job. Our co-workers might gossip behind our back. Positive and negative events all require the same thing. They require us to act admirably and with virtue.

But what are the virtues? There are four Stoic virtues, which originated with Socrates: Courage; Temperance; Justice; Wisdom.

Virtues are practical. They are things we can use to guide our daily actions. When faced with events, we must choose our response. Will I act bravely or cowardly? Will I be selfless or selfish? Will I be just or unjust? Will I be wise or foolish? Asking ourselves these questions can guide us to act well in response to the good and bad events that we encounter every day.