#708 If You Don't Like a Situation Change it or Change Your Self-Talk
There are always two possibilities about any unsatisfying situation: Either you will be able to change it, or you will be able to change your self-talk.
Telling yourself, "There is nothing at all I can do to change this situation, therefore I must feel bad," is not based on reality. How can anyone possibly say: "There is nothing at all I can do to change the situation"? You can always pray, can't you? Your Father, your King, Creator and Sustainer of the universe, can change any situation in a moment.
You might find a book or article that gives you ideas that can help you find a solution that you didn't think of before.
You might find a teacher, mentor, coach, or friend who can make suggestions and think of ideas that will enable you to change a situation.
Events might unfold that totally change the situation. The Purim story teaches us that even an impossible situation that spelled total doom can be changed in a single moment.
You might think of a way to reframe the situation so that now you view it differently. What previously seemed like a problem and a difficulty can now be seen as a wonderful opportunity to grow and develop yourself. What was once considered a liability can now be seen as an asset.
You always have a choice of your self-talk. Ask yourself, "What can I think about now that will improve the way I am feeling?"
You can always think, "The more challenging a situation, the more I can grow from it."
The more skilled you are about creating positive self-talk in challenging situations, the easier it will be for you to handle new challenges in the future.
(from Rabbi Zelig Pliskin's book: "Conversations With Yourself", pp.78-9) [Artscroll.com])
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