Mental Subtraction
life, shoulders slumping, eyes drooping, with not a smile, complaining and whining. They have mastered the art of making themselves unhappy and everybody around them.
Whatever be their position, things could have been worse. The theory of mental subtraction is recommended as a powerful method to do a reality check and appreciate one's good fortune.
What it calls for is to imagine situations that have not happened.
Thus, for instance, it is reasonable to assume that a person being able to read this paper is literate, in a position to purchase the paper, has enough disposable income to do so, has an accommodation, and is in the upper bracket of the population.
Now, let us look back and go through all the circumstances of life that made this possible: education, means to pursue education, and those moments of serendipity that all of us encounter in our lives that thrust us forward on the path of upward mobility.
Now, use the technique of mental subtraction to slowly remove each of these incidents, moments that pushed one's trajectory forward. Start with not having had a good education and subtract one by one the good things that happened.
What would our circumstances have been and where would one have reached in one's life?
Now take a deep breath and look around to the reality in which we are living in. One will realise that whatever be our circumstances, there is so much to be grateful for.
The exercise makes us humble. And, more importantly, triggers an urge to help others in their journey of life.
