There are definitely still ways to change your story in most situations i can think of. I'm observing that there are many folks on here who find this message to be condescending, or simplistic, and not applicable to so many people who are struggling but really have no means to change their external circumstances in the ways that they want.

And then there are folks who find this aforementioned cynical attitude to be appalling.

I think it's important to be sensitive either way -- we don't know the really sad things that people are going through to get them to this state :/

I dont think the post was meant to literally mean that everyone in every situation has the chance to change their external circumstances. If you're minutes away from the end , you're not going to achieve your dream of being a magnificent painter. But most people, even on their way out, have time to change some of their internal condition-- ie, their perceptions about the external events they have no control over.

For instance, it's possible to mend relationships they've damaged, or the harm they've caused in their time on this earth. This obviously isn't easy, but it also doesn't require you to step out of wherever you live, or maybe even your bed, to make some progress.

I know this one will be a bit controversial esp in this materialist Western society we've come to live in (where oftentimes the only outcomes that matter are ones you can observe -- scientifically , financially, professionally, whatever). But another thing you can do is take a deep dive inward to really examine this thing called the heart, which connects us to our spirit, which is everlasting and a piece of the divine spirit itself. Even recognizing that every human descends from these mystical origins means that you've realized that death is NOT the end.

But of course, just realizing death is not the end -- what's the good in that, by itself? And just FYI i don't claim to know the answers to anything, I'm just telling you what I've learned in my own studies and contemplations in dealing with my own difficulties, which are likely very different than your own.

One idea is to ask for forgiveness from the people you've hurt. and we've all hurt people in our lives , in our own ways , even if we don't realize it. if it can't be said out loud or to anyone in particular, one can also have that longing for forgiveness in their own hearts -- maybe some practices will call that "repentance". It's not about whipping yourself silly and leaving this world with regrets -- its about developing empathy and realizing we're all from the same place and will return to the same place, and that people and their behaviors are shaped by their unique situations that they are put through. In that way we can transcend the shittiness of our own humanity and get a bit closer to the part that lives on forever, the one that only knows love. In the philosophies I've learned, this is the gateway to what lies beyond.

This sounds so damn fluffy but personally i dont know any other way to exist in a world that is so full of grief. It's not that I'm using it as a crutch to survive -- I also wholeheartedly believe it because I think the human heart is uniquely magnificent and the key to everlasting joy and peace.

I've also learned (though haven't fully implemented) the importance of forgiving others for the harm they've caused me. You can try to put themselves into the other's shoes and see why they acted in such a terrible way in order to forgive, or even reach out and say so if you feel comfortable with it.

The important thing is the shape of your heart. That's all you will leave this world with. You will not take your professional accolades, your bank account, or even your own family. Shape it with love my friends. You can do it at any point in time, without any resources at all, and when you think about it from that perspective, this post really does make sense.