As one reaches middle age, it's not just about taking care of one's body
but also nurturing the inner self, living life to its fullest, so as not to
have lived in vain.
The following three words are the most healing, embodying three kinds of
life wisdom. Let's see how many you've achieved:
Stability
I once saw a video that went viral, showing a three or four-year-old
girl trying to put the lunch her mother had just prepared into a bag.
Unfortunately, the girl didn't hold it steadily, and the lunchbox spilled,
scattering the food instantly.
Seeing the mess without knowing what had happened, the mother didn't get
angry or scold the girl. Instead, she gently asked, "Did you accidentally
spill Mommy's lunch?"
The little girl was a bit bewildered and responded tearfully.
The mother immediately hugged her daughter, comforting her, saying she
was just asking if it was accidentally spilled.
After getting a reassuring answer from her daughter, the mother
patiently advised her daughter to be more careful next time and to remember to
ask for help.
Under the video, netizens praised the scene, envying the happiness of
such a "fairy-tale family." Many also sighed that it's possible not
to be scolded for breaking things.
For middle-aged women, what they fear the most is becoming a nagging
complainer.
Complaining about not getting cared for despite the hard work, accusing
of not getting returns for their efforts, having unstable emotions, hurting
others and themselves more.
There's a term in psychology called "emotional cost," for
example, if you accidentally oversleep for an hour today, and you fret about it
for another hour, you've suddenly lost even more time.
People with unstable emotions and an unstable core are prone to
irritability. They complain when faced with a setback or unnecessarily put
pressure on themselves, ending up burdened beyond measure and greatly reducing
their quality of life.
When angry, it's worth asking oneself, "Do I really need to be
angry about this?" or "Is it necessary for me to be this angry?"
This way, emotions can calm down quickly, and one can approach problems more
rationally.
As you experience more, you'll understand that the greatest wisdom for
middle-aged people lies in maintaining stable emotions at all times, after all,
only by steadying oneself can everything else be stabilized.
Subtraction
The more one desires, the more one should learn to subtract.
Rather than being bogged down by distractions, it's better to employ
subtractive thinking, eliminating spiritual burdens to achieve true freedom and
happiness.
"Trimming down in life, actively letting go, is true
self-love."
In the journey of life, if you desire too much, your baggage will only
get heavier, making it difficult to move forward in the end.
In middle age, many things require one's attention, so learning to
subtract from life becomes particularly important:
Reduce material desires and attachments to harvest inner richness;
Reduce feelings of inferiority and arrogance to remain truly calm and
composed;
Reduce complaints and distractions in the mind to achieve happiness and
peace.
Happiness means having freedom and choice, but more freedom and choice
don't necessarily bring greater happiness. In fact, the more choices you have,
the less happy you tend to be.
Therefore, the more one lets go, the richer one's inner life becomes.
Learning to simplify is a kindness to oneself and the most sophisticated
way of living.
By letting go of desires, lowering expectations, reducing internal
conflicts, one becomes lighter in body and mind, and one's steps naturally
become swifter.
May you and I both be able to cut off negative emotions in time, abandon
excessive material desires, break free from self-imposed limitations, and
reduce the burdens on the journey ahead, embracing a life of ease and
contentment.
Patience
Have you ever noticed that the more you rush to have something, the
farther away it seems to be?
Because the more impatient you are, the more anxious your emotions
become, and the easier it is to make hasty mistakes, often resulting in more
harm than good.
Some people say, "A word commonly heard is 'fast,' but in fact,
being too fast is the easiest way to make mistakes. Before embarking on a big
task, you should first understand the situation and make reasonable judgments
before taking action."
Haste makes waste, while patience leads to success. Often, it's the
mindset that determines the outcome. If faced with urgency, the mindset should
be calm and composed, and actions should be steady.
"Take it slow, and even slower. The things that must be dealt with
immediately should be set aside for a while, perhaps then you'll achieve the
desired results."
In middle age, you'll come to understand that many answers to life's
questions can only be given by time, and being impatient is of no use.
When faced with difficulties, it might be worth giving yourself some
time, taking things slowly, often revealing hidden opportunities.
As the saying goes, "Plan before acting." When encountering
something, first devise a strategy, then take action. It may seem slow on the
surface, but it's actually more efficient. By taking things slowly, you'll
ultimately move faster.
In a person's initial reaction to a situation lies the knowledge,
character, and cultivation accumulated throughout their growth.
Taking a step back allows one to view and contemplate from a distance,
listening to the most authentic voice within. You'll understand what's
important, what's not; what's necessary, what's superfluous.
There aren't many things in life that require immediate action or fierce
competition. Many things need to simmer slowly to become truly flavorful.
May we all be able to give life gravity, find spiritual refuge, enjoy
the passage of time, settle into the routines, calmly and contently being
ourselves.
Read Also:
Escaping the Comfort Zone: The Most Toxic Chicken Soup I Ever Had
Listen: Podcast
