“If we really do want peace of mind, the first thing to realize is that it does not depend on conditions outside us, but those inside us.” (ODAT, 3 June)
I used to talk about conditions a lot, as though they were causing anything inside me. Nothing has ever caused anything in me. The way I view the conditions is what causes my reaction, and there’s always more than one way to view conditions.
I did not make any progress until I realised the ‘world’ I saw was a picture in my head of an actual world out there whose reality could not be discerned except in the form of the picture in my head.
I have pretty good relationships with the people in my life, though there are far fewer in my life than there used to be, at least in the inner circle.
I have stopped trying to have relationships of any sort with people that think their emotions are caused by others.
One always ends up the enemy, and I don’t want to be enemy.
Diplomatic, cordial, courteous distance: that works very well, unless the other person is in on the secret.