The last two years have been pretty tough and I think it’s fair to say that folks have noticed that when they meet me. However, those same folks are kind enough to notice a dramatic change in my in recent times and so I thought I might share here with you why I am so very deeply happy these days.
Zen Buddhist Meditation and Mindfullness
It’s probably not ‘cool’ to admit but I’ve become a practitioner of meditation and I find it to help me a huge amount. I have a very chaotic and creative mind, a boon and a curse at the same time, and so I really need a mechanism that helps me
I’ve not gone the whole hog and adopted religion, but Zen is about practice and the practice has been hugely helpful for me. Just little reminders like ‘abide’ and ‘simply observe’ go a long way in letting go of things. Which leads me to...
I’ve not gone the whole hog and adopted religion, but Zen is about practice and the practice has been hugely helpful for me. Just little reminders like ‘abide’ and ‘simply observe’ go a long way in letting go of things. Which leads me to...
Letting go of Attachments
I don’t mean people, I value my friends more than ever! What I mean here is attachment to things and outcomes that are simply out of my control. Attainment of money, power, business success … all of these things can drive you wild with anxiety.
“Letting go” is just a reminder that these things are largely out of your control anyway, and that it’s ok not to be too bothered by them.
“Letting go” is just a reminder that these things are largely out of your control anyway, and that it’s ok not to be too bothered by them.
Putting the Future and the Past in Context
Guilt and anxiety are the things I have to manage the most. Undue anxiety (let’s not forget that anxiety is an important thing, especially from an evolutionary standpoint!) comes often from a fear of the future, and guilt from a concern about the past.
I now think about the past and the future very differently than I used to. The past is like a rock, or a mountain, at my back that I simply can do nothing about. The future is a completely hazy fog that I can also do very little about. So I focus on the present, and that allows me to let go of guilt and anxiety such that I can function really well and focussed right now.
I now think about the past and the future very differently than I used to. The past is like a rock, or a mountain, at my back that I simply can do nothing about. The future is a completely hazy fog that I can also do very little about. So I focus on the present, and that allows me to let go of guilt and anxiety such that I can function really well and focussed right now.
Be Happy
So there you have it, if you were at all wondering how I got happy there’s no secret to it. It’s about putting the past and future in context, meditating and letting go of attachments. Now I wonder why I added ‘Monk’ to my “Biker Software Monk” alter ego … :)
Have fun and be happy!
Have fun and be happy!
RSS Feed
