Change Your Attitude? That Doesn’t Work.

Of course, there have been situations in my life that left me dissatisfied and irritated. Sometimes dislike and disdain came along with them. More rarely—open anger, contempt, even hatred. And what was I supposed to do with all that “wealth”? I had no idea. So I did nothing and simply waited for it to “pass on its own.” Sometimes I had to wait a long time—and that became irritating in itself. Eventually I wondered, “Is there a way out?” And I found one. At least, it works for me.

It all began when I tried to follow the familiar advice: “If you can’t change the situation, change your attitude toward it!” I made a real effort to put it into practice. But every time, I ran into a logical dead end.

Let’s take a specific example: a court enforcement officer—a bailiff—once again issues an enforcement order or freezes my bank card. These days, I’m used to such things and react calmly. But at first, I would literally shake with anger and “righteous” indignation. He makes a mistake, clicks the wrong button—and suddenly my account is frozen, while I have to waste my time and nerves first making an appointment with him and then going through that humiliating security screening at the entrance to the building. And all of this merely to prove that, figuratively speaking, I’m not a criminal. So that he can correct his mistake and lift the freeze.