Buddhability

Yurika Watanabe grew up in Guam focused on her day-to-day and supporting her family. After a Buddhist family friend encouraged her to dream big, she started to envision a different future. Today, we discuss how setting goals and dreams help us accomplish things we hadn’t imagined possible.Watch this episode on our YouTube channel.

There is a Buddhist writing that says, “Winter always turns to spring.” But when your life is in the season of winter, sometimes if can feel unending. Today’s guest, Everton Carvalho, of Baton Rouge, tells the story of how his most challenging year was followed by his most joyful.Watch today's episode on our YouTube channel. Resources:The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, p. 192.The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, pp. 538, 1027.

Buddhability Shorts is a series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge we’ve touched on in an interview. Today, we’re talking about how to find a fulfilling career.To ask a question about the basics of Buddhism, you can email us at connect@buddhability.org  Episode Mentioned:The Grind: Self-Mastery and Success in BusinessSeeing Beyond My Complaints and ProblemsResources:Discussions on Youth, pp. 76–78.The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, pp. 21, 38–39.The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, pp. 367–68.

In this engaging discussion, Moeko Fukada Teter, a practicing Buddhist from Honolulu, shares her enlightening journey of finding and trusting her voice through the practice of chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. She reveals how this spiritual practice helped her navigate personal relationships, overcome career hurdles, and build self-confidence. Moeko also reflects on her family's influence on her faith and discusses the resilience required to pursue her medical aspirations during challenging times, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and community connections.

Truly hearing and seeing someone else can be tough. Especially if we think we’re in the right or know best. Fortunately, Buddhist practice helps us to open our minds with wisdom and compassion. Today’s guest, Marko Bajkovic, of Costa Mesa, shares how seeing past his ego helped him embrace Buddhism and deepen his family relationships.Watch today's episode on our YouTube Channel.

How does a student athlete and mother become a superstar coach to students and even Olympians? Karen Dennis, of Columbus, Ohio, shares how her Buddhist practice led to a decorated coaching career.  At the time of her retirement from Ohio State as the director of both Track and Field teams, she won the most Big Ten titles of any woman in Ohio State history. Prior, she coached teams at University of Nevada Las Vegas, Michigan State and the National Women’s 2000 Olympic Team. She has been inducted into the Hall of Fame for three prestigious organizations and voted coach of the year by her peers 13 times. Today, we discuss what Buddhism has in common with mindset of winning athletes and coaches.Watch this episode on our YouTube channel. Resources“The Hero of the World,” The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 835.The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, p. 172

Buddhability Shorts is a series where we break down a Buddhist concept or common life challenge we’ve touched on in an interview. Today, we’re talking about how to make difficult decisions and life without regret. To ask a question about the basics of Buddhism, you can email us at connect@buddhability.org  Episode Mentioned:Your Past Decisions Don’t Define Your Future Resources:Discussions on Youth, pp. 26, 362.The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 1, revised edition, pp. 128-29.

Buddhism teaches that all our problems are opportunities for growth. But how could heartbreak possibly make someone better at math? Alex Scheffelin, of New York, shares how he used a moment of hopelessness to propel him to becoming a Ph.D. student at Columbia University.Watch this week's episode on our YouTube Channel.

With college decisions trickling in, we're airing a rerun of a May 2024 episode about college rejections.When Ashley Park didn’t get into her first choice colleges, she was stuck in New York City balancing a jam-packed schedule. Buddhism teaches that everything moves in the direction of our happiness when we chant Nam-myoho-renge-kyo. With that in mind, Ashley knew there must be a reason and used her Buddhist practice to discover it. Today, we discuss how winning in every area of your life leads to your ultimate growth and happiness.  References:Discussions on YouthAug. 14, 1998, World Tribune, p. 9. Cheat Sheet:03:55 Why Ashley started practicing Buddhism at age 1616:29 Tackling doubt after college rejections 35:27 Buddhism is about winning40:00 How she landed the perfect job47:37 Why her path was exactly what she needed to become happy

Chip Grossman, of Santa Monica, always thought spirituality and business were opposing goals. It wasn’t until he encountered SGI Nichiren Buddhism that he realized their deep ties. Today, Chip shares how chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helped him develop the courage and strength to go after his goals and build unshakable happiness.View today's episode on YouTube.Resources:The New Human Revolution, vol. 9, pp. 272–73The Writings of Nichiren Daishonin, vol. 1, p. 637.The New Human Revolution, vol. 5, pp. 27­–28The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, part 2, revised edition, pp. 185-87.