It's so obvious ... but the movie of the mind makes us forget again and again and again.

Yes you are in this world where things happen that influence you, but what you actually experience is your mind's automatic interpretations and reactions to those happenings.

When you don't know this, you're lost in the movie your mind is playing all of the time, which compels you to try to change the outside world so you can be happier.

That's where suffering comes from, because it will never permanently work.

When you DO know this, life still dishes up tough times, but you know that you have massive influence on how you feel and what actions you're able to step up and take, regardless of what life gives.

That's where freedom and passion come from. When you're not dominated by the long held habits your mind has formed, life becomes your playground for knowing and expressing yourself.