Buddhist Advice for the New Year, 2020

Everything changes. Nothing is permanent. No matter how much we desire for things to remain the same, they never will. New life is born, old life dies. Friends come and go. Children grow up and leave home. Marriages end; lovers split apart. Therefore life -- because it changes -- can never bring us anything but suffering.

In reality, it is not life itself which brings us suffering but our own attachments, desires, perceptions, and expectations. The more we get, the more we want. The more we expect, the greater our disappointment. The more we attach ourselves to other people and objects, the harder it is to give them up.

For example, we go deeply into debt buying things we can't afford, then needlessly suffer from the worry, anxiety, and stress of trying to pay for them. When we finally pay them off, we see something else we want -- and begin the cycle all over again!

Our suffering can only end when we extinguish our desires; embrace the reality of birth and death, illness and old age; and accept the inevitability of change,

We cannot control the big stuff, but we can control the small stuff.

Simplify. How much stuff is in your closets that you spent lots of money on that you never use anymore? Did you ever use it? Did you really need it in the first place? Clean out your closets and dispose of excess clutter. Donate items to the local thrift store.

Avoid Debt. You can never find peace of mind while coping with a pile of debt. If you can't afford to pay cash, then you probably don't really need it. Save the credit cards for emergencies. Pay off all unnecessary bills. Open a savings account. Just saying "no" to things we don't really need is liberating.

Show love and compassion toward others. Understand that we are all in this life together. None of us asked to be born. Nobody wants to suffer. And there is only one way out.

Be truthful and honest. Avoid causing harm to others through your words and deeds. Most importantly, be kind to yourself. Stop doing all those little things which cause unnecessary worry, stress, and pain.

Take things in stride. Instead of resisting change, embrace it! View it as an opportunity to make a fresh start. Have a sense of humor. Go out of your way to make others smile.

Have a happy, prosperous, and serene New Year, 2020!

Dawn Pisturino, RN
March 15, 2007
Copyright 2007-2020 Dawn Pisturino. All Rights Reserved.