Perserverence And Self Improvement In Difficult Times

[spicy_pickles]

I'm using this as an opportunity to better myself, but really not sure if that's the correct way to look at it. 

From the things I've read, I'm guessing there is no such thing as a good or bad circumstance, as it is all perception-based. I suppose if I were to look at the situation I'm in from one point of view, I could say that I am not happy, it's temporary, and I need to do what I can in the time being. The other side of the coin is that there isn't a good or bad, my situation is what it is, and I have to deal with it. 

How does one do that when you are just programmed to not like where you are?  I'm making positive strides to change it, and I know it won't happen overnight. 

For example, say a person is in a tight financial situation but sees the light at the end of the tunnel because they are doing everything they can to save and spend wisely. How do they deal with being unhappy about the current situation?  What if a person is in a temporary job situation where they had to relocate and aren't pleased about it, how do they cope in the meantime?  

When the "negative" aspect is there reminding you every day, how do you push it aside?

[Christian]

You don't push it aside. In general, when negativity creepes up, you just observe it and go on about your day. You can't beat thought with thought, but you can take action in spite of what your mind says! 

[Erlend K]

The main thing here is to just embrace this paradox. At one level ideas like "there isn't a good or bad, only perceptions" is true, but you have to be careful not to let it become an excuse not to put in the hard work required to move forward. It's like saying "nothing is objectively morally right or wrong" and then use this as an excuse for cruelty or selfishness, or saying "time is an illusion/the past dosn't exist/it's always just now" and use this as an excuse to be late to appointments, etc. Wisdom is about understanding witch of the often many contradictory truths that are relevant to any particular real-life situation, and then acting based on that truth.

If you are truly unhappy, jumping straight to the truth that "there isn't a good or bad, my situation is what it is" is not a wise way to deal with this paradox. The exception is if there is truly nothing you can do about the situation, but that is rarely the case. Otherwise the contradicting truth "I am unhappy, and ought to try to understand why, and identify measures to change this situation" is the one it would wise truth to act on.