Everything in life gives us an opportunity to learn something new. Every new experience, both the positive and the negative, tests us in some way or allows us to learn more about ourselves. We just have to look, and listen.
One thing I’ve noticed is that not always do my mental habits or reactions change, but my awareness of them does. Just having awareness of what’s going on and an idea of how it will play out gives me more peace of mind and allows me to understand the true nature of what’s happening, without necessarily trying to control it. And that’s the main goal. We don’t have to judge ourselves about what’s happening in our minds and getting frustrated if it doesn’t go one way or another. Just accepting it first and letting it play out makes us less involved in it to begin with.
And that’s another thing, control: we are not as in control as we think we are, so much of awareness is surrendering to thinking we can/should control an outcome and letting things unfold as they will.