It can be often that after a certain level of exerted efforts that we begin to feel entitled to certain things in life. All that we truly own is our thoughts and everything else is fleeting. Do we own our actions? We may confuse this as something we own too. We are gifted to have a mind. Yet, it can also haunt us and direct us in the wrong manner if not careful.

Today I felt entitled to something and frustrated because it was taken from me. It was never mine. It was out of my control. What was in my control was my past, present and future actions and these will only come about in having a good, well-trained, mind.

Perhaps better methods or a different approach could have been carried out to have more likely received that which I felt entitled. How would we know? Reflection is a habit to help us learn from these moments. It is my perception of the occurrence of events that will have an impact on my thoughts and consequent responses to any situation.

People will often do things that to an observer may seem unjustified or without reason. It will continue to appear this way for as long as we don’t seek to understand. If we just assume why things are or are not a particular way, we will never get far and we will continue to live life feeling entitled, feeling like we own these “things” in our life. We do not!

We need to try to avoid assumptions unless of course what we observe has no bearing on our purpose in which case we can just move on. Before we seek to point the finger externally as why we have nothing, we should practice pointing the finger inwardly. What could I have done differently? How do they feel? What could I have avoided? Rather than feeling frustrated by what we have missed out on or not gained, reflect and pay attention to what we can be grateful for. We are entitled to nothing other than the good use of the life we have been given.

Daily Journals – Thoughts, Reflections & Meditations by Leigh Martinuzzi