Dealing With Today’s World
There are many concerning things going on the world right now:
- Rise in inflation
- Fear of nuclear attacks
- Growing distrust in governments
- Political unrest
- Wars over territory
None of this can be reconciled, since it is part of the current-day story.
However, I am not the sort to be moved by radical changes, especially when such things have happened in the past.
Here are some of the ways in which I overcome the hysteria and fear of the modern day, especially in the sense of keeping myself relaxed.
- Keeping love for the world in my heart
I cannot lose the ability to love. Even if the world becomes so difficult that I am forced to hate others, I will still try to keep myself kind.
Some people will argue over anything, and never have anything nice to say, likely because of the insignificant boredom of their own lives.
Once I separated myself from my defensiveness, I became receptive to the world, and found that many people genuinely care.
I have discovered that the world can be kind too, especially when I try to express the best version of myself. This is truly a blessing.
No matter what happens to the state of the world, I cannot give up on my heart, as that is the only thing I have that proves my humanity.
2. Working on my health
In the wake of a nutritional and mental health crisis, I decided that active steps must be taken in order to fix my overall wellbeing.
I started eating more proteins and fat, exercising more, and taking cold showers every day. I managed to lose 30 pounds in a year.
When the world goes outward, you must go inward. Studying what we eat and drink should be seen as a meaningful use of one’s time.
I am less concerned about the anxieties of my mind than I used to be. Most mental constructions distract me from the whole.
The most important thing is that something can be changed, and that something can motivate us to change it.
3. Not Clinging to the Moment
Because the moment changes so frequently, it makes no sense to get attached to the changes. Life is impermanent.
Buddhism teaches us never to cling, as clinging brings us back to the forlorn land of ego. Clinging implies a loss of self-freedom.
Maybe I’ll get angry at myself for a bad game of chess or handball, or maybe I will have arguments in my mind sometimes.
This too must pass, as it is not the default state of my being. Otherwise I’ll fall into the same mental hysteria as these political people.
Ultimately, life is going to occur independently of how we feel about it, which is why I’m going to focus on being at rest.
4. Making Better Friends
I spent a good portion of my life around people who treated me half-heartedly, with little regard for my actual feelings.
Over the last few years, however, I have shed a lot of the more indifferent friends, and have found some who care about me.
Friendship should ultimately be something to rely on, something to make us feel better, and it should not feel like a waste of energy.
The more we do with our time, the more people we are likely to meet. It is this way because interesting people tend to do interesting things.
Friends are everywhere if we wish to look for them. Life is crafted such that we are given many chances for worthwhile friendships.
5. Improving the Quality of my Thoughts
Ever since I started reading more Buddhist and Zen books, I began to find something of a feeling of self-belonging.
I did not love myself for a long time, so I am now trying to make up for the years I lost. Maybe it is still possible to be genuinely happy.
Attaining ‘right thinking’ might be as simple as isolating the thoughts that make a difference, and throwing away the ones that don’t.
There’s no need to be afraid of our thoughts. We can simply accept them and move on, since there is no running away from ourselves.
The world is tough, and challenges our thoughts all the time. So be it, I say, maybe that’s the way to grow as a person.
Thank you.
