Things You Can Change, Things You Cannot, and the Courage to Take a Step Forward

Good morning.
This is Ryokan.

In our lives, there are things we cannot change that are unavoidable, and things we can change that can be improved through effort or a shift in perspective.

Understanding that difference and using your energy in the right direction is the key to making life better.

Are you familiar with the following words, known as the "Indian Teachings"?

• The courage to change what can be changed

• The serenity to accept what cannot be changed

• The wisdom to discern the difference

These are originally known as the "Serenity Prayer," a passage from a prayer written by the Christian theologian Reinhold Niebuhr in the 1940s.

In Japan, these words spread as the "Indian Teachings" and have provided a moral compass for many people.

However, the essence of these words transcends religion and specific cultures, serving as a universal message that reaches everyone's heart.

Today, based on these teachings, I will share how to focus on the "things you can change" and powerfully forge your own future.

Things you cannot change: The strength to accept them

We tend to get trapped by things we simply cannot change.

If we focus too much on realities that cannot be changed no matter how much we worry, our hearts gradually become exhausted. Listed below are examples of things you cannot change.

• Other people's emotions and actions: Even if you worry, "Why is this person like this?", you cannot change the actions of others.

• Past events and regrets: Even if you think, "If only I had done that back then...", you cannot redo the past.

• Social rules, earthquakes and natural disasters, economic conditions: These are beyond the scope of what we can control.

There is no need to be trapped by these.

Accepting what you cannot change

is by no means "giving up,"

It is a choice to protect your own heart.

By doing so, you create space in your mind and generate the energy to move forward.

Things you can change: Shaping the future with your own power

On the other hand, there are many things that we can change with our own hands.

By focusing your attention on these and taking action, your life will definitely change.

For example, consider the following:

• Managing your own mood: "Whether you spend your day feeling irritated or choose to smile is up to you."

• Building healthy lifestyle habits: "Try walking for just 10 minutes starting today."

• Refining your values and way of thinking: "Focus on what you truly believe is important, rather than the opinions of others."

• Making preparations: "If you feel anxious, start making the preparations you can right now."

These are all actions you can start today.

Even if they are small steps, by accumulating them, the future will surely change.

Discerning the boundary between what you can and cannot change

The wisdom to discern the difference between "things you can change" and "things you cannot" supports our actions.

For example, try asking yourself the following questions.

• "What can I do in this situation?"

• "Am I spending energy on things I cannot control?"

• "Is there a more constructive way to use this time?"

Just by asking these questions, your consciousness shifts toward "what I can do now," and action is born.

The meaning of "things you can change" that transformed my life

When I was in my late twenties, I felt distressed by the vast gap between my dreams and my workplace at the time. Furthermore, my values did not align with those of my boss and colleagues, and I spent my days feeling suffocated.

However, one day, I learned of an Indian teaching, organized what I could and could not change, and decided to take the following actions.

1. I began preparing to go to a school where I could leverage my strengths.

2. I focused on my own goals and future, rather than on my boss or colleagues.

3. I kept a little distance from others to create some peace of mind.

As a result, I was able to gain the opportunity to transition into a new industry.

What changed my future was not those around me, but "my own actions."

It was also the courage to focus on what I could change and take that first step.

Three years later, I became a film producer.

Things to start today to change your future

The things you can change are surely close at hand. For example:

• Spend five minutes in the morning in quiet reflection.

• Decide on just one goal for the day and try to carry it out.

• Send a message expressing gratitude to someone.

Such small actions eventually become the catalyst for major change.

Finally: Have the courage to grasp the future you can change

"The serenity to accept the things you cannot change" and "the courage to change the things you can."

By balancing these two powers, life begins to move in a better direction, slowly but surely.

By not being trapped by what you cannot change and focusing your consciousness on what you can, your future will become bright.

Please, from today on, go forth and carve out your future with your own hands.

I am rooting for your first step with all my heart.

May your actions create new possibilities for tomorrow.

Tenmame

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