Interestingly we seem to know that if we are doing something that hurts us physically we can stop it to create relief. If I am hitting my thumb with a hammer and it hurts I can stop that action and the suffering will stop. If I am banging my head against a wall and it hurts I can stop that action and the pain will stop.
Interestingly we don't seem to transfer that skill if we are doing something that hurts us emotionally. If we are angry or sad or frustrated somehow we have got in the habit of enduring the pain waiting for our relief to come from someone outside ourselves. We say "when ________ is different then I will feel better".
Interestingly the relief we seek is created the same way in both situations -- stop doing what hurts.
I know that may seem over simplistic and unrealistic because we have not been taught, nor have we practiced, how to stop doing what is creating our emotional suffering. However, through my experience of suffering with things like depression, death, or failure, as far as I can see, it is the only way to my freedom. Because, you may have noticed, getting others to be a certain way to create our relief doesn't seem to be working very well.
Living On Purpose is about practicing the skill of creating my own emotional relief.