We have to accept the uncertainty of the way life unfolds. Attachment to our goals traps us in a life of seeking more and more control which not only creates disappointment, but creates an ongoing source of pressure and stress.

Even a strong, well-built ship can be blown off course. We have to find a way to enjoy the journey, even when we don’t get the results we hoped for. Sometimes, those surprising, unhoped-for results are a real blessing. Then we realize that life can be worthwhile without us being in control.

“You taught me an excellent lesson.” Indeed, it was our first exercise in “If you want to do something, do it.”

The tree does its best with what it gets.

if we’ve done everything we can do, and we’ve done it to the best of our ability… that can be our measure of success.

Ask yourself, “How would I behave if I were a totally loving spouse?” You might do favors for your partner. You might greet him or her enthusiastically when you come together at the end of the workday.

In the Taking Action course that I teach online, the first step is to select something you want to work on, something that requires “Action.”

Yet today I realize that the most important thing in dividing tasks is the psychological effect of making the task bearable. The idea of small tasks always felt too abstract and not at all magical. But today it had a concrete effect on me. Suddenly, the idea of starting a task didn’t seem so heavy. The tasks just need to be small enough so that

Dr. Hans Selye, a leading authority on stress, provides reassurance