An old Cherokee grandfather was sitting with his grandson by the fire one night.
The boy had been in a fight at school that day. He was still angry, still shaking with it.
The grandfather looked at him for a long moment. Then he said:
"There is a fight going on inside every person. It is a fight between two wolves."
The boy stared into the fire, listening.
"One wolf is full of anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, and ego. He lies. He sees only what is wrong. He is proud in a way that hurts others."
"The other wolf is peaceful. He is full of joy, love, hope, serenity, kindness, generosity, truth, and compassion. He sees what is possible."
The grandson was quiet for a moment.
Then he asked: "Which wolf wins?"
The grandfather looked at him and said simply:
"The one you feed."
What this story teaches.
Both wolves are inside you. They always will be. You are human. You are going to feel anger, fear, jealousy, and doubt. That is not the problem.
The problem is when you feed those feelings. When you replay the argument all night. When you let envy sit in your chest and grow. When you keep choosing bitterness over grace.
But you can also choose to feed the other wolf.
You do that every time you extend kindness when you could choose cruelty. Every time you choose to see the good in someone. Every time you let something go instead of holding it tighter.
You are not powerless over who you become.
Every thought you dwell on is a feeding. Every action you take is a feeding.
The person you are today is largely the result of which wolf you have been feeding. The person you will be in five years is being decided right now, in the small choices you make today.
You have more power than you think.
Feed the right wolf.