There may be times when life itself seems a burden, when we feel trapped or weighed down by something, when we feel passive and a victim of circumstances, or when we feel somehow lost. Those are the times to shed our passivity and turn it into initiative, telling ourselves: “I’m going to follow through on this path!” “I’m going to carry out my mission for today!” When we decide to do so, a genuine spring will dawn in our hearts, and flowers will start to bloom.

From The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, p. 339