“If we accepted that everything is change, including ourselves. . . there would be no conflict between the changing circumstances of life and the thing we now think of as being permanent.”
— J. Krishnamurti
Winters in Norway are harsh. During the darkest periods of the winter, you receive only two to three hours of indirect sunlight (or less). This reduces the secretion of the mood-regulating chemical serotonin in the brain, the result of which can be depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).
Then how have inhabitants survived in places like Svalbard, Tromsø, and Oslo for many centuries? How come they didn’t succumb to depression and other mental health issues?
The secret lies in their mindset—they look forward to the oncoming winters. The possibility of skiing or hiking in the mountains, savoring koselig (snuggling under blankets with a warm drink in the candlelight), enjoying open-air cinema in the eerie Arctic darkness, and more. (The Norwegians believe there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothes.)
Isn’t this a wonderful lesson for us all? To perceive stressful events as challenges that we look forward to rather than threats to avoid. Because you cannot avoid your in-laws visiting, plans failing at work, or the restaurant you want to celebrate your anniversary at undergoing renovation. But you can find possibilities when you see those events as challenges that test your resilience.
Clinging to the desire for permanence will keep you miserable. Adapting to change will help you learn, grow, and remain happy. What will you choose?