An obvious fact about negative feelings is often overlooked. They are caused by us, not by exterior happenings. An outside event presents the challenge, but we react to it. So we must attend to the way we take things, not to the things themselves. Vernon Howard More Quotes by Vernon Howard More Quotes From Vernon Howard You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need. Vernon Howard success happiness life We never get upset over what happens. Never. We get upset because of preconceived ideas as to what we think should happen, what we want to happen. When our preference clashes with the reality, we get hurt. Rid yourself of all preconceived ideas as to what should happen. You are then at peace whatever happens. Vernon Howard hurt reality thinking You cannot stop destructive actions by others, but you can stop your own destructive reactions to them Vernon Howard reactions destructive action Our freedom can be measured by the number of things we can walk away from. Vernon Howard being-free freedom numbers Do not be impatient with your seemingly slow progress. Do not try to run faster than you presently can. If you are studying, reflecting and trying, you are making progress whether you are aware of it or not. A traveler walking the road in the darkness of night is still going forward. Someday, some way, everything will break open, like the natural unfolding of a rosebud. Vernon Howard moving-on spiritual inspirational Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn, and you will. Vernon Howard inspiring inspirational life Run forward when possible, walk ahead when you can, stagger onward when you must, but never cease your forward movement. Vernon Howard movement walks running Many of us knock on the door but remain outside, because knocking and entering are entirely different actions. Knocking is necessary, consisting of reading books, attending meetings, asking questions. But entrance requires much bolder action. It requires one to enter into himself, to uncover hidden motives, to see contradictions, and to realize his actual power for self-change. Vernon Howard reading motivational book Whenever encountering a troublesome person, do not identify him as being cruel or stupid or rude or anything else like that. Instead, see him as a frightened person. Vernon Howard frightened rude stupid A chief cause of unhappiness is what I call mental movies. Mental movies are a misuse of the imagination. You know how it goes. You have a painful experience with someone, then run it over and over in your mind. You visualize what you said, what he did, how you both felt. As awful as it is, you feel compelled to repeat the film day and night. It is as if you were locked inside a theatre playing a horrible movie. Vernon Howard painful-experiences running night The genuinely spiritual person is one who has lost all desire to be anyone but exactly who he is, without labels and without apologies. He is what he is and that's all there's is to it. Such a man is undivided, uncomplicated and contented. Vernon Howard apology spiritual men No one on earth can hurt you, unless you accept the hurt in your own mind. . . The problem is not other people; it is your reaction. Vernon Howard acceptance hurt people Happiness is not the acquisition of anything; it's the understanding of something. Vernon Howard acquisition understanding The reason why most people are frustrated is because a lie cannot be turned into a truth. Vernon Howard frustrated lying people Be teachable. That is the whole secret. Vernon Howard teachable whole secret To change what you get you must change who you are. Vernon Howard who-you-are change Truth does not really hurt, rather it is our resistance to its message that causes us pain. Vernon Howard pain hurt doe We can accept God becoming Man to save Man, but not Man becoming God to save himself. Vernon Howard becoming accepting men Human sickness is so severe that few can bear to look at it...but those who do will become well. Vernon Howard sickness bears looks A false path must be tensely and angrily defended by those it has deceived. Vernon Howard wise-words choices path
