Learning and embracing the challenges we face in our lives through
the adoption of Buddhist principles can help lead to a life of fulfilment.
Each person faces unique life circumstances, and the challenges
they face are always different. But these profound truths can benefit all of
us.
If you want to make some changes in your life, especially regarding
your attitude, here are 5 keys of Buddhism that will help you out:
1. Knowledge & Insight
We are living in the era of technology and information, which most
importantly means we have access to all human knowledge at our finger tips.
We just need to use this privilege with care. The Buddha advises to
take in all the knowledge you can, but at the same time it’s imperative that
you keep your critical thinking hat on.
A famous quote from Buddha says:
“Believe nothing, no matter where you read it or who say it, unless
it agrees with your own reason and common sense.”
2. Resistance & Replacement
Every time we face obstacles in life, it will test us in one way or
another. Changes are hard and if you find yourself struggling to stay focused
and in control, overcome it with a new commitment or inclination, like working
out or eating healthy.
The urge to go back to your old habits and addictions might be
strong, so focus on replacing your old bad habits with healthy ones.
Always try to overcome the bad with the good.
Buddha reminds us that if we are able to overcome our bad habits,
we have achieved the greatest task:
“To conquer oneself is a greater task than conquering others.”
3. Consumption
Did you ever look at your everyday consumption of things? Remember
the statement “Everything in moderation” and live by it. It is a really wise
statement because if we have a habit of consuming too much or too little of
something, we might find ourselves attaching ourselves to a certain outcome.
For example, you might not be happy until you get that new iPhone. And then
when you do, it’s a let down because it isn’t really meaningful.
Learning how to recognize your consumption habits will help you
move forward in the times of spiritual, emotion or physical pain.
Ask yourself this: “ Do I really need this much/little?”
Buddha warns about attaching ourselves to anything:
“You only lose what you cling to.”
4. Patience & Persistence
If we want to achieve our goals in life, we need to be always
moving forward. This statement goes for relationship goals just as much as for
professional goals. It is really important to learn to work hard while moving
in the right direction for the things we want.
Everything which comes easily can easily disappear. You have
nothing to look forward to if all your wishes come to you on a silver platter.
If you are patient and persistent when following your goals, you will find
success in your life.
Buddha says we must keep on our path:
“No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We
ourselves must walk the path.”
5. Avoidance
One of the hardest things in everyday life is to deals with people
who express negativity. Something like this can drain you from your ambitions
and joy.
Everybody feels negativity from time to time, but when you do,
remember this quote from Buddha:
“In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased
striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves.”
Source : ideapod.com