When we feel pain, when we face a new crisis, when we are down and hopeless, everything becomes short term.

How will I wake up tomorrow? What will I do with this pain? How will I ever raise my head again? What is next for me?

Most of our thoughts deal with what is happening here and now. Either trying to push it away – how can I feel better? – or expanding it beyond its own boundaries – it will always be like this.

A different approach might be putting the moment in perspective. Looking at it and keeping it finite.

What am I feeling now? How likely is it that I will still feel the same next week, next month, next year? How many things will happen that will change how I feel? Was I feeling the same last week, last month, last year? Have I ever felt this way before? What did happen then?

Moments come and go, and it’s up to us for how long we want to hold onto them.