India, Oct. 5 -- Sometimes, a small change in perspective can make you look at your life differently. A missed bus, a difficult emotion, an awkward social moment or a relationship that ended before you were ready can feel frustrating at first. But what if you looked at these experiences from another angle?

The following five theories offer simple ways to think about setbacks, emotions, self-consciousness, mood and relationships. They are not scientific rules or guarantees about how life works. Instead, you can use them as reflective ideas that may help you pause, let go of what you cannot control and make more thoughtful choices about what comes next.

When you burn your toast, miss your bus or get stuck in traffic, it can be tempting to...