Leading a meaningful and rational life

Leading a Meaningful and Rational Life.

1. Prioritizing what is most beneficial. Life  is not about acquiring wealth, fame, or power. There are many people who have it all, but are still discontented, dissatisfied, and unhappy. So, we might ask ourselves, what is the purpose of our life? Of course, different people have different beliefs and priorities. It is true that without sufficient material resources, we may face difficulties in our journey in the short term. For instance, if we do not have enough money, we might not be able to support ourselves and our loved ones. But no matter how much money we have, it can never fulfill our ultimate aims. If we are seeking a meaningful life, then accumulating wealth and acquiring power are, at most, merely assisting conditions that might help us to achieve more important goals that can bring lasting benefit to oneself and others. Our life is precious, but we don’t know how much time we have. Thus, as a forward-looking person, we should wisely consider what is beneficial and cultivate happiness for ourselves and others by leading a meaningful and purposeful life.
2. Living in the presentPeople tend to spend a lot of time either revisiting their past or worrying about the future.Most of this time spent thinking about the past and the future is unnecessary. This type of thinking does not guarantee us happiness. The past has gone, so ruminating about the past is like fishing from an empty riverbed. It is meaningless and a waste of your precious time. And the future is yet to arise. It is unformed like a void, so spending your time imagining about the future is like painting the face of an unborn child. As many yogis have said, the present life is the result of your past deeds and your future will be shaped by your actions in this present moment. So, if you want to assess the past, simply look at your present situation, and if you are truly concerned about your future, then you should focus on your present actions. We should live properly in this present moment, and in order to assist in our journey, two of the most effective tools are mindfulness and awareness. These tools will help ensure that you do not wander away from a meaningful path.
3. Taking a positive approach to everything in lifeLife throws many surprises our way, and we cannot always expect pleasant ones. When we are faced with difficult situations, if we do not handle them with caution and a positive approach, then we are bound to end up unhappy, and in some serious cases, such incidents might even lead to depression. In order to transform difficult moments into meaningful ones, we must be clear about one important point: if we deal with a difficult circumstance led by destructive emotions like anger, jealousy, attachment, etc., then we will only make ourselves more miserable. Instead, we should work to bring our negative emotions under control and try to consider the situation holistically, because when we consider a troublesome situation from many different angles and perspectives then we might arrive at a deeper understanding about why we are finding ourselves in such a situation. With a broader view of the situation, we might also begin to understand the perspectives of others and develop compassion and empathy for their positions. Therefore, whenever we encounter difficulties along our journey in life, we should approach these situations rationally, constructively, and with a positive attitude.
4.Dismantling the wall between daily life and practicing dharma. We should look at our whole life as practice—not only the recitation of prayers, mantras, and meditation. Otherwise, we might spend many years in so called practice and not see any  improvements. There are many students who become disappointed because they don’t see any change even after many years of practice. It is difficult to be a successful practitioner without understanding how to practice properly, and this means dismantling the wall that separates your dharma practice from your daily life. For instance, even the simple everyday act of drinking a cup of coffee can be transformed into a meaningful dharma practice. Let me explain. When we are enjoying our coffee, we can contemplate how fortunate we are to be able to enjoy this drink, and how there are many who are not so lucky. We can then make the wish that everyone might find such fortunate conditions.Adding the practice of bodhicitta to any act can transform it so that it becomes filled with meaning. I have given one simple example, but there are so many ways that we can think of others as we go about our day. This is an excellent way to make our whole life a living practice.
5. Not entertaining negative emotions. We all tend to overlook instances when destructive emotions have guided our reactions in life, but we should never allow even the slightest negative emotion to pass unnoticed, since these poisons only function to bring pain to ourselves and others, and the more we ignore them, the stronger they will grow. Everyone complains that they find it difficult to deal with anger, and I do not blame others for the ill-effects of destructive emotions of this kind. But we must learn how to skillfully manage all negative emotions like anger, hatred, jealousy, attachment, etc., by not allowing them to overpower us. There are many ways to deal with difficult circumstances, and the following methods might assist us. It is difficult to notice the first moment that a negative emotion arises, because they can sometimes begin very subtly. Moreover, once emotions take root inside us, overcoming those emotions can be very challenging. And once we are under the control of such emotions, it is extremely difficult to give them up completely. Thus, we must employ antidotes to these destructive emotions immediately. The moment that we notice any  form of destructive emotion arising within us, we should recognize them for what they are and apply the appropriate antidote to prevent them from taking root or growing in strength. Moreover, we should remain vigilant to prevent their arising in the future. Such an approach will help us overcome the ill-effects of negative emotions.
6. Cultivate a positive attitudeEveryone faces struggles in daily life, but we should always cultivate a positive attitude toward the events of our lives. It is always helpful to see the best in others and the best in a situation. This often requires us to take a more holistic approach to our interactions with others. We should see things from others’ perspective and make efforts to maintain an uplifted attitude. Many times, in our lives, we tend to look at things only taking into consideration our own self-interest. This self-centered approach of seeking out our own gain at the cost of others will only make situations worse. If we instead consider the bigger picture, look beyond our own self-interest, and make effort to find the best and most meaningful solution for all involved, then everyone will win. Approaching challenges with a positive attitude will lead to a healthier and less stressful life. I find that, personally, when I am faced with difficulties or when I am put in uncomfortable circumstances, it is always helpful to approach these situations with a holistic mindset. It is true that dealing with others is not always easy or simple. However, for our part, we should try our best to take a positive approach in every step we undertake.
7. Remaining understanding and openWe all look different and many of us come from different backgrounds, but each and every one of us has similar kinds of feelings and concerns. So, before we act recklessly towards others when we are confronted with an unreasonable accusation, we should step back and try to think wisely about why this is happening to us. It is important to always try to put ourselves in the other person’s shoes, consider their perspective, and contemplate how we might act if we found ourselves in their situation. With this method, we may gain understanding and insight into the motivations of others and develop empathy for their struggles. When we face difficult challenges, instead of getting angry, we must open our hearts and seek a reasonable solution to resolve our disagreements peacefully. Therefore, I always try to put myself in other peoples’ shoes in order to understand why their actions might not seem reasonable at first glance. We might not resolve the problem entirely, but we can at least engage the situation with a positive approach.
8. Learning to forgive and forgetLife’s experiences, especially the difficult ones, can teach us so much. One thing we need to learn from difficult experiences is to be brave enough to forgive others for their hurtful actions. Our own experience tells us that holding grievances never gives us comfort, but simply prolongs our pain. If we think rationally about the situation, then it makes sense that we should forgive others not only for their peace of mind, even for our own comfort. So, in order to resolve difficult and painful situations, and in the interest of everyone involved, we should learn how to let go of the past and concentrate on the present circumstances. Instead of being upset about past events, we should recognize that stubborn unwillingness to accept what has happened and move on will only prolong our pain. Although letting go of past harms might seem difficult at first, holding onto anger will only make things worse. Therefore, whenever we meet with the opportunity to improve our quality of life through forgiveness, we should do so without any hesitation. If we hesitate now and continue to hold grudges, there is no guarantee that we will have the time in the future to heal ourselves and others from past painful events. Thus, making the venture towards meaningful reconciliation is one of the most important thingswe can do in this journey of life .