Question: How can I accept my own capacities or incapacities without being angry or upset?

Sri Chinmoy: Why do you have to accept defeat, or let us say, failure-life? No, you can be more disciplined, more active, more dynamic, more sincere to reach your goal. And today's goal you will transcend tomorrow. You do not have to accept your limited capacities or your incapacities. Accepting your fate means that you will have no inspiration, no aspiration. Then you will become a perfect friend of lethargy.

But if, in spite of your sincere efforts, you find that your capacity is very limited in some areas, then you have to be wise. Look around, and you will see that there are many others with even less capacity than you have. Then you will think, "Oh, God is really kind to me. Why should I be upset when He has given me so much more capacity than all these others? I should be grateful to Him instead of being upset."

Then ask yourself, "Has God given me any good qualities?" Immediately you will have to say, "Yes, He has given me many good qualities. He has made me an excellent artist; He has given me a willing mind to do many things for my Guru. I can easily do selfless service for hours and hours. Day in and day out I go on, month after month." Try to think of all your good qualities. This is not boosting your ego; it is only providing your own antidote to your frustration-poison. When you are upset or depressed try to see how many good qualities and capacities you have, and how many good things you have done over the years.

If the human in you wants to be happy by being better than others, then you will see that there are many who have less capacity than you, so you can be happy. Again, if the divine in you wants to be happy, then you will see how many divine qualities and good capacities God has given you out of His infinite Compassion and Love, and you will be happy. If you are happy and grateful for what you are already, then God will give you more capacity; He will give you more good qualities to transcend yourself. In this way you can get rid of your irritation, anger and frustration with yourself.