The situation isn’t bad or good; 

it all depends on what we tell ourselves. 

In Buddhism, we hear about turning afflictions into bodhi.

In effect, it is transforming negative thoughts into awakened ones. How? We stop viewing a situation as trying and see it in a favorable light. For example, we change “that yapping dog is driving me crazy!” to “that dog is helping me develop patience.”

Now I can assure you from personal experience that it’s much easier to type the previous sentence than do it.

The dog really is annoying, and I’m trying to write. So, how can I transform here? Well, for one thing, my patience can always stand some work. And since it can only be practiced in adverse conditions, a yapping dog is a winner. So, thank you, dog! Noisy as you are, you are helping me out. Thinking about 365 topics to write is challenging. Using this barking dog is an example of about turning afflictions into Bodhi, of changing a negative thought into one that benefits others.

And more patience always helps.