Zen Buddhist teacher Haemin Sunim shares practical ways to find happiness in challenging times. Topics include embracing everyday joy, managing envy, balancing personal desires with societal expectations, fostering genuine connections through gratitude, and understanding the intricacies of family relationships. Learn how to improve wellbeing and inner peace in simple, meaningful ways.
Acknowledge and sit with difficult emotions to uncover deeper truths and impermanence.
Finding true happiness by appreciating daily small moments of joy and gratitude.
Deep dives
Understanding Emotions through Sitting with Them
Rather than running away from difficult emotions like despair, anger, or fear, it is important to pause and sit with these emotions. By acknowledging and honoring these emotions instead of resisting them, one can uncover deeper truths about oneself and recognize the impermanence of these emotions. For example, when feeling envy, one can shift focus from labeling the emotion to recognizing the physical sensations it brings, allowing these feelings to naturally dissipate as attention shifts to positive experiences, such as enjoying a cup of coffee or being in nature.
Finding Happiness in Small Moments
Rather than waiting for grand achievements to be happy, focusing on small, daily moments of joy and gratitude can lead to true happiness. Appreciating simple pleasures like the smell of fresh bread, well-organized socks, or the sounds of nature can bring significant happiness. Recognizing and valuing these small, but certain, moments in everyday life is crucial for cultivating lasting happiness.
Balancing Personal Needs and Others' Expectations
Achieving a balance between fulfilling personal desires (me as me) and meeting societal or others' expectations (me of others) is essential for a happy life. Striking a balance between self-care and consideration for others' needs can lead to fulfillment. Verbalizing one's needs, rather than assuming others know them, and finding a balance between self-focus and consideration for others' expectations is key to maintaining healthy relationships.
Creating Peace and Happiness through Intentions and Actions
Cultivating peace and happiness involves setting intentional actions, such as dedicating time for personal relaxation and reflection. By making conscious decisions to focus on gratitude, engage in self-care activities, and connect with others, individuals can foster a sense of peace and happiness in their lives. Practicing gratitude, engaging in self-care rituals, and nurturing genuine connections with others can greatly enhance overall happiness and well-being.
What do we do when 'we are given too many lemons to make into lemonade'? Zen Buddhist teacher and international bestseller Haemin Sunim joins us with lessons from his new book, When Things Don't Go Your Way, to show us how we can find happiness even when life seems to overwhelm us, and reveal how inner peace is always within reach. From how to fall asleep with greater ease to how to transcend jealousy, from reconnecting with our friends to reconnecting with ourselves, Haemin illuminates practical and meaningful ways to improve our wellbeing.