I manage client correspondence at work. Recently our generic email address has been getting some odd spam. People wanting to improve SEO for our website, wanting to sell weight-loss pills, viagra… the random usual things like that (I’m not sure we’ve actually had any of those last two but hey, creative license, it’s my blog).

We have some Chinese/Taiwanese clients and occasionally they will write to us in Chinese. Luckily one member of our team is from Taiwan and can handle these requests (I mean it’s not luck, it’s part of the reason she was hired…)

We got one the other day in Chinese and I couldn’t work out who it was from. I asked my colleague to look at it and as soon as she did she immediately burst out laughing. Not moving my head, I looked at her sideways from were I was sitting next to her at my computer, wondering what was going on. I pulled up chat to ask her what was happening and she was already typing.

‘omg’ she wrote, ‘I need to translate this for you. Hang on’

I hung on, the suspense bubbling up inside me. Eventually it was time for the great reveal…

Life is full of uncertainty, where you can find peace of mind is where you belong.

No matter how many difficulties you have gone through, there will still be flowers, butterflies and sunshine.

Being angry is taking others’ faults to punish yourself. Forgive others, let go.

That was it.

Well, I tell a lie. At the end it had a slightly more nonsensical phrase: “If people go to the big cities to fight hard, that is a foundation. If not, if it fails, maybe even today’s life will never be there again.” Not so sure what that’s getting at so let’s gloss over that bit for the sake of a good story.

We laughed, it was hilarious to think that we were worrying we had some complex issue to solve, when someone was just educating us on… I don’t know, Buddhist philosophies or something…

But struck a chord with me, so I kept it.

There really is so much uncertainty in life. And thinking that we have control over anything can set us up for failure and disappointment. Pinning your hopes on everything panning out will only end in tears. Much better to find peace in just being, and let other things come and go without vesting too much in them. Some things don’t work out, and that’s ok. There will always be more things. Other things.

Us millennials are obsessed with journaling and morning pages and gratitude logs and you might well roll your eyes but there is something in that. It goes right back, even everyone’s favourite Stoic Epictetus spoke of practising gratitude. If you make note of the good things that happen, you’ll find that the difficult things don’t seem so bad, they may even fade in comparison. They say that people who actively practice gratitude are much happier humans living fuller lives. ‘Wholehearted people’ if you’re into Bréne Brown. I don’t necessarily have to actively make a point to do this, I just naturally tend to fixate on the good things. For example, I am not angry or sad that I got cancer, I am only grateful that it was found, and that it happened in a time in my life when I had the beauty of the NHS behind me, an amazingly supportive employer, and my lovely friends and family. Yes, I feel lucky. I see those flowers (you all know how much I love flowers), butterflies and sunshine every day. Even if nothing seems like it’s going right, all it takes is a stranger to smile or hold a door open for you and there is something to be grateful for. And if you manage a day where you see a cat… Well… Wow! Cat!

The final point I really struggle with. I do get angry at people. I don’t get angry at things that happen that are not anyone’s doing, there’s no point in that, but I get angry at people who are rude, who are not kind to others, and who stand in the middle of a crowded footpath (seriously, guys!). I do judge (I think we all do) and I do get far too wrapped up in what other people are doing. I find it hard to let things go and I find it hard to forgive people if they haven’t done right by me or someone I love.

A friend of mine said the other day ‘we are all just our parent’s experiments’ and that the really stuck with me. We grow up with our parents teaching us everything. They have all the answers. But now we’re their age, do we have any idea what’s going on? (Seriously though, how are our parents so on top of getting the washing done? I challenge you to find one millennial who doesn’t run out of clean underwear on the regular). But anyway there is a point to this, bear with me.

Our parents love us and do everything they can to help us but they’re just people too. Those annoying habits you picked up from them? Those strange things they do (ma and da, I’m totally looking at you)? They’re just trying to navigate the minefield that is life too. Does anyone truly know how to adult?

And that person at work who snapped at you? They’re dealing with their own things, the last thing they are thinking about is how you might deal with the fact that they’re under a lot of pressure. Yes, we should all try to be kind at all times but we’re all just trying to get by, we mess up. Give people another chance (but not too many…)

I will try to take my own advice.

Somewhat related, I’ve taken to doing Friday night Tai Chi at the gym I have a 12-week pass for. I have been really enjoying it. An hour on a Friday to be away from my phone and just get grounded before the weekend. Yoga is a bit difficult for me at the moment but Tai Chi is spot on. Life is so damn hectic, it’s nice to have a break sometimes. I’m working on being more calm. I’m quite laid back but not so calm. I’ll get there.

So heading into this weekend, take some time to think of the things you are grateful for. Don’t rush through it without taking the time to savour those things that make it really special, that make your working week… Well… worth it! And try to do one kind thing for someone who doesn’t expect it. Studies have shown that doing something for someone else actually brings us greater and longer lasting joy than doing something for ourselves.

But do something for yourself too, life’s too short.