hat has occurred in the past. Whatever is in
the past cannot be undone. All we can do is to profit by our experience
and turn the energies, that would be wasted by worrying, to some good
use. Whenever thoughts of the past or desires for the wrong things
disturb you, crowd these worry thoughts and desires out of your mind by
putting in it good thoughts. Deliberately fill your mind and hands so
full of other things that there will be no room for these unwholesome
pests. Worry does more harm than smallpox ever did!

This dwelling on past mistakes is only one of several methods of mental
self-abuse. Another way some abuse themselves is by continuing the
association with those who excite or irritate them. If in your work or
social life you find that a certain person has an effect upon you that
is not wholesome, that when you are in the company of that individual
you are incapable of doing your best, then it is time to make a change.
Keep away from that individual until such a time as you are strong
enough to resist his influence. Choose your friends from among those who
stimulate you mentally. If you stop to think, you must admit that you
accomplish more and better work when in the presence of certain people.
Those are the ones whose companionship you should seek.

There are people living together or working together who are a continual
source of irritation to each other. It is just as impossible for such
people to work in harmony as it is for two incompatible chemicals, as
nitrogen and iodine. We do not try to over-ride the laws of Nature by
trying to force these chemicals to stay together. It is just as
impossible to force certain incompatible people to be harmonious. If
society or business throws two such people together it would be wise for
one to make a change before there is an explosion. It is impossible for
any person to do good work in an atmosphere of irritation.

Another element in mental self-abuse is longing for the unattainable.
Sometimes a person sets her mind on a certain thing. If that goal is an
honorable one, she should make every effort to attain it but if
circumstances over which she has no control make that goal impossible of
attainment she should turn her thoughts in another direction. But that
is what many people do not do. If they cannot have just what they want
they sit and bemoan their fate and give up trying for other goals. Such
a person should choose a line of work or play that is especially
i