Things can be something else

Some things are really upsetting.

Things like losing a family member.

For most other things: do they have to be upsetting? Or can things be something else?

A team member letting you down can be upsetting. I’ve often found it to be so. But what if we choose not to have an opinion about it, and simply do what we ought to do next? Or what if we chose to view it as a game, which got harder, as games often do (and aren’t upsetting in doing so)?

A project not going the way you wanted can be upsetting. I’ve not found this to be as much of a problem for me, but I have many friends who find this crushing. But what if we chose not to have an opinion about it, and simply do what we ought to do next? Or what if we chose to value the process more than the outcome, enjoying the former regardless of the latter?

Something are really upsetting.

But most things can be something else, if we choose.