What does this quote mean?
If you can change something you’re complaining about it, then you better take action and rid yourself of whatever it is. If you can’t change it, then perhaps, that’s the universe telling you that you need to change your outlook. Because without changing the outlook, you will allow it to bother you forever. For each negative, pick up a positive and only concentrate on that. The true message always seeps through; you just have to acknowledge it.
Have you ever had to do this?
yes many times yes
it means exactly as it says.
If it’s at all possible, certainly go ahead and try to change the thing (s) that is bothering you.
If you cant change it? If there is nothing you can do about it?
Then there is no point in going around frustrated, angry, bugged and bothered for the rest of your life.
Change your attitude. Find something positive in it, make peace with it, learn to live with it. Find a way to enjoy and be happy with life even though that ‘thing (s)’ still exists unchanged.
Here is an example
You have a an old, beat-up, dented car that still runs. You could hate the car because its ugly and people make fun of it. You cannot afford a new one. So you cant do anything about changing the car for a prettier one.
You could be miserable inside hating life because you are stuck driving a ridiculous looking car while everyone else has nicer cars.
Or you could change your attitude and think how lucky you are to have transportation and that you can go wherever you want, when you want.
You can recognize that some people have worse cars then yours or no transportation at all.
You can recognize that car does not define who your are.
Further you could give the car a funny name and affectionately call the car by its name.
Further, you could come up with you own jokes about your car, give it a personality and beat other people to the punch lines. You can get them to laugh and you can have fun owning your very own wonderful Dent-Mobile.