FUTURE SELF:

(From my book of Aphorisms- 'Thoughts To Make You Think' By Helen Leigh - http://thoughtstomakeyouthink.doomby.com  - Chapter One - Personal Development)

If you truly want to make changes to yourself, you have to hold a future projection of who you want to be. Keep holding this projection; the feelings you want, the attitude you want, the way you want to be. Let those around you that don't like this fall away and keep holding your projection.

'It is said that one day the Buddha was walking through a village. A very angry and rude young man came up and began insulting him. “You have no right teaching others,” he shouted. “You are as stupid as everyone else. You are nothing but a fake!”

The Buddha was not upset by these insults. Instead he asked the young man, “Tell me, if you buy a gift for someone, and that person does not take it, to whom does the gift belong?”

The young man was surprised to be asked such a strange question and answered, “It would belong to me, because I bought the gift.”

The Buddha smiled and said, “That is correct. And it is exactly the same with your anger. If you become angry with me and I do not get insulted, then the anger falls back on you. You are then the only one who becomes unhappy, not me. All you have done is hurt yourself.”