You can be ok with problems

We all know that life isn’t always smooth sailing. Problems happen—big ones, small ones, frequently or occasionally. But here’s the thing: the real issue isn’t the problem itself; it’s how we feel about it.

You probably know people who seem to have a lot of problems, and others who appear to have none. The truth is, everyone faces challenges. It’s not about the number of problems we have; it’s about how we deal with them and, more importantly, how we feel about them.

Every situation in life can be viewed as a problem, depending on our perspective. And no, I’m not advocating for blind optimism or ignoring reality. It’s not about searching for silver linings in every bad situation; it’s about acknowledging your feelings and choosing how to respond.

Perhaps someone stole your belongings, or you lost money—yes, these are genuine problems. Some issues result from our own actions, while others are beyond our control. While we can’t always choose the challenges we face, we can always choose how we feel about them. That power is entirely within our control. It simplifies everything: you can let every minor inconvenience cause you distress, or you can remain calm even in the face of significant challenges.

Why choose a positive outlook? It’s pure pragmatism. When you’re overwhelmed by negativity, you lack the energy to address your problems effectively. But when you adopt the mindset of “It’s okay, these things happen; let’s move forward,” your life begins to change. Even if your problems persist, you’re no longer consumed by them. You’re not the problem; you’re the solver. From this point on, problems become just life situations to navigate.

Feelings of suffering and depression drain your energy like a leech. Instead, choose how you want to feel about your problems. You might be skeptical that you can simply decide not to feel bad about your issues, but you can. It takes practice, like any skill, but it’s worth it—I promise.

Start small. If someone cuts you off in traffic, resist the urge to get angry or retaliate. Let it go. It’s not your problem anymore. If you’ve recently lost your job, yes, that’s a significant challenge. But dwelling on it won’t help you move forward. Remember, setbacks happen to everyone. Acknowledge it, say “It’s okay,” and start looking for new opportunities.

So, to sum it up: stop allowing negative emotions to control your response to problems. They don’t help. Move forward. Life is too short to spend it mired in regret and suffering. Problems are simply situations we encounter—they might be significant and sometimes beyond our control, but we can always control how we react to them. You can choose to be okay with your problems. Right?