Our mind produces more than 60000 thoughts per day. Most of them are negative. Some estimate that more than 45,000 thoughts are negative. Let’s say those are right. Most of the time, we were anxious about what people would think. Perhaps they simply take pleasure in the events that unfold in our lives. If we focus on what others think or say about us, we end up becoming their version of ourselves.
We cannot control our thoughts. One of the Buddhist ways to control thoughts is to intentionally think about something else. Most of the saints chant. They mentally focus on the meaning of the chanting words. Some engage in breath meditation. They begin by focusing on the inhalation and exhalation of their breath. This allows them to control their thoughts.
To control thoughts, you must stop resisting them. Let them come and go. Accept them as they are. Don’t give them any power. It’s in our hands, which we thought we gave them. Acceptance has power. Remember: whatever you resist, persist.
But remember what Marcus Aurelius said. “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts. “ This forces us to think in opposition to our initial thoughts. We choose our thoughts. Hope you like this post.
Yesterday, I experimented. While going to the office, I start looking for a red car. I was searching for a red car, or any vehicle that was painted red. Interestingly, I saw 10 vehicles until I reached the office. Did you experiment with it? Try it.
The fundamental idea is that wherever you direct your attention, it starts to manifest more. There is a quote that says that when you focus, life begins to grow. Where you neglect life, it goes to dry.
Let me explain a little more about the red car theory. If I were to pose one straightforward question to you, When you go outside on a daily basis, how many red cars or vehicles do you see? Did you notice that, most likely, your response would be, “No, not a single one,” or “probably one or two?” However, it’s likely that you failed to notice them because you weren’t focused on them. If I were to offer a reward of $100 to anyone who spots a red vehicle, you would consciously focus on finding 5 to 10 such vehicles. Actual concept opportunities are always present, but once you notice them, they start to appear.
Everything is perception, when our focus changes or we put forth efforts to change our perception about certain things, our environment starts to change.
Experiencing adversity or misfortune often leads to further misfortune, and the opposite is also true when we experience good fortune. More lucky events start to happen. Actually, we were intentionally seeking these.
The question now is, how do we relate this modern Red Car theory to ancient philosophy? They all talk about perception and focus. They all discuss how our mind shapes our reality.
For example, Epictetus said that “We are disturbed not by things, but by the views we take of them.” This quote explains that we have to focus on our perception. While we cannot control events, we can control how we respond to and perceive them. It is our emotional response to these events that determines our experience.
The same way Marcus Aurelius’ said, “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” This implies that, regardless of the circumstances, we can maintain our happiness as our minds actively seek it out. our thoughts make of it. If we think more about happiness, more happiness will appear.
Some ancient Indian scripts also talk about a similar concept: “As you think, so you become.”
A similar Buddha said: “We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.”
This Buddha quote also talks about the same concept and encapsulates the red car theory. Our thoughts and focus constantly shape our reality. If you concentrate on something, it starts to appear more frequently in your life. If you focus on a red vehicle, you start to see it more often.
I hope you like this video. On closing notes
The Red Car Theory highlights how our focus can shape our reality. By consciously directing our focus, we can alter our thoughts and perceptions of our surroundings. We can notice more things that align with our interests, goals, or emotions.
A couple of months ago, while sitting in a gathering, I found myself wondering why certain things happen to me. It’s natural to have these feelings, especially when things don’t go according to our wishes or when we fail despite our best efforts. Many philosophies talk about accepting both good and bad fate. It’s a simple truth that we will fail at times, things won’t always go as planned, people may hurt us, and betrayals can happen. It’s natural to ask, “Why is this happening to me?” Sometimes we even question why we should put in effort if everything is predestined.
In this video, I will share:
What is Amor Fati?
Why it is important for us.
How it makes us strong.
What ancient Indian and Stoic philosophies say about it.
“Amor Fati” is a Latin phrase that means “love of fate” or “love of one’s fate.” This philosophical concept emphasizes embracing and accepting everything that happens in life, whether good, bad, or ugly. It’s not about passively accepting whatever life brings but actively loving and finding meaning in all experiences, including the challenging ones.
Marcus Aurelius once said, “Whatever happens to you has been waiting to happen since the beginning of time. The twining strands of fate wove both of them together.” As we grow to love life, we start to see the truth in his words: “The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” Obstacles help us build virtue, and virtue is the only sure path to eudaimonic bliss.
Epictetus advised, “Do not seek to have events happen as you want them to, but instead want them to happen as they do happen, and your life will go well.” He also said, “Remember that you are an actor in a play, of such a kind as the author may choose. If short, then in a short one; if long, then in a long one. If it be his pleasure that you should enact a poor man, a cripple, a governor, or a private person, see that you act it well.”
Amor Fati means accepting fate as it comes. We cannot change it, but we can accept it and move on, believing there is something better in it.
What about those things that haven’t happened yet? Often, we hesitate to act because we overthink the results and fear failure. We need to accept whatever the future holds but recognize that it is our duty to work and act.
Chanakya said, “Once you start working on something, don’t be afraid of failure and don’t abandon it. People who work sincerely are the happiest.”
The problem is not the outcome but how wholeheartedly you work on it. Love of fate teaches us to detach from the outcome.
A similar concept is found in ancient India when Krishna spoke to Arjuna: “Therefore, only those who act without being attached to the fruits of their action, but as a matter of performing their duty, can attain the Supreme” (Gita 3.19).
Amor Fati teaches us that what happens to us or is bound to happen is beyond our control. But we should work on our tasks or goals as our duty, staying detached from the outcome. The output is beyond our control. If you give your 100%, you will never regret it.
Implementing Amor Fati in our lives makes us more responsible individuals. We become more aware of what we can and cannot control. It gives us direction in our work. Acceptance of fate helps us overcome pain and suffering, but our feelings, thoughts, and reactions are within our control.
I hope you enjoy this video. Amor Fati helps us understand more about ourselves, what hurts us, and what feelings arise when past events appear in our minds. Instead of focusing on what people think or how they behave towards us, we should focus on our response. There is a common saying that we suffer more in imagination than in reality. Amor Fati teaches us to accept fate and not be afraid to act due to attachment to the end result.
Hello and welcome to this video. In this video, we explore the teachings of the ancient Chinese philosopher, Mencius. It’s commonly believed that Mencius lived during the emergence of city states. Most of his teachings focused on enhancing state-related affairs, but in this video, we explore how we can apply his teachings in our personal lives.
So the question is: who is Mencius? Even before choosing this topic, I did not know him. Mencius is considered to be the second saga of Confucianism. He lived in 289 BC. He lived during the Chinese Warring States period approximately 2,300 years ago. He expanded and finalized Confucius’ teachings.
According to Mencius, every human is born with a righteous or upright nature. Later in life, they may lose their way. Their circumstances or environment shaped them, and they lost the right path. According to him, with proper nourishment and care, everything grows, and without the proper nourishment and care, everything degenerates or decays.
Now we discuss four innate virtues in humans. Often referred to as the four beginnings or the four seeds of goodness, I have mentioned them and provided a brief explanation to help us apply them to our personal lives.
Sense of Compassion (仁, Ren): On a personal level, we need to practice empathy in our interactions with others. Always consider their feelings and strive to comprehend their perspective by putting ourselves in their shoes. Help and support them in their day-to-day tasks. Seek opportunities to assist them with their daily tasks and issues. implement a sense of compassion.
Sense of Shame and Disdain (義, Yi): Understand and always act on those things that are morally right. Try to avoid acts that are morally wrong. Make choices and decisions based on a moral compass.
Sense of Respect and Reverence (禮, Li): Many times we think of breaking social norms and traditions. But that is not the right virtue. Always respect social norms and traditions.
Sense of Wisdom (right and wrong) (智, Zhi)**: Seek knowledge and understanding in every situation. Reflect on your experiences and learn from them. Use your life wisdom to make good decisions.
We can apply Menicus teaching by reflecting on our lives. Regularly reflect on your actions and interactions. Evaluate your actions with respect to your values. If this isn’t the case, it’s important to make changes in your life. Always maintain the belief that every individual possesses a good nature from birth. If a person exhibits negativity, it’s likely due to external circumstances. Always focus on helping and your fellow beings. Always seek balance in life.
I hope friends like this video. Mencius focuses on moral virtues. We can improve our lives by adhering to these rules.
I believe that happiness is a state of mind. When we are happy, certain harmonics release in our minds, leading to a sense of pleasure. and what is meant by “happiness like water.”.
This means that water can fit into any type of pot. Then you can be content and joyful in any situation. Let’s discuss. Once, I was asking myself whether happiness comes from outside our environment, an external factor, or is born inside us. Is it within or beyond our control? Once upon a time, I believed that couples and lovebirds held the key to happiness. However, I discovered that many once-loved and ideal couples do not experience true happiness. I was thinking that achieving something makes you happy. Then I saw a lot of high achievers with successful lives who were unhappy and disappointed. I found that competition makes us happy. When we demonstrate our superiority over others, we feel joy, happiness, and pride. We feel joy and happiness, as well as pride. The other person’s defeat makes us pleased and full of joy. This can also lead to feelings of depression and anxiety. On the other hand, I realized that the person with whom I compete is happier than me because he accepted his life and found meaning in it. Similarly, people who live in large houses, own expensive clothes, and drive expensive cars are not necessarily happy. Conversely, those who are less privileged tend to be happier than their counterparts. Even I saw a homeless person with torn clothes enjoying his life. So what’s wrong with happiness? Achievers, winners, and wealthy people are also unhappy. Even those who have nothing in their lives find happiness and contentment. I began to understand that it was merely a state of consciousness. It is up to us to make life by thinking and acting. Then there is the story of Gautama Buddha: who lived a happy and peaceful life. When he saw misery, death, and old age, he tried to find solutions to world problems. But after deep meditation, he found only one solution. Detachment. Suffering comes from attachment. The way to be happy is through detachment. Make your wishes less. Accept life as it is. Think about what happened. That is for good. Buddha said “There is no path to happiness; happiness is the path. “Happiness comes when your work and words are of benefit to yourself and others.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GH7cxp8HCvM
“Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.” Buddhist ways of achieving happiness are compassion and mindfulness. Midfulness means keeping your mind busy with things and thoughts. Focus on what’s happening in the present moment.Compassion: Keep busy and help others reduce their misery and problems. Let’s explore more about what Stoics said about happiness and how to attain it. Seneca said that “True happiness is to enjoy the present without anxious dependence upon the future.”
Epictetus said that “Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not.” Similarly Marcus Aurelius said that “Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.” According to Stoic philosophy, happiness comes from only focusing on things that we can control. Let go of things that are beyond our control. Just focus on your actions, thoughts, and reactions. The second method involves dedicating yourself to a high purpose or higher virtue and maintaining a busy schedule to attain it. The third option is to be mindful. Mindfulness means just living in the present moment. Enjoy the present moment. Stoics believe that thinking about the future and past hurts our happiness. What I now understand is that happiness originates within us. Regardless of the situation, it’s up to us to stay happy, depressed, or worried. Accept life as it is. Stay in the present moment by simply making conscious efforts to observe what’s going on and stay busy. In conclusion, happiness is like water. Just as water settles in any pot, so too does happiness. Similar to water, happiness can settle in any situation. It’s up to us how we maintain our happiness.See you in another video.
Goal-setting is essential in life. Those who achieve success in life often have specific goals in mind. Some have written goals; others keep them in mind. The law of attraction, or manifestation, only works when you have goals. The only difference between a wish list and goals is the deadline. Until we begin working towards achieving them, goals remain merely wishlists.
Why is goal-setting important?
Know what you want and set future goals to be happier and more successful. Goals help us sense where we are going and focus on the objectives we want to achieve. In times of adversity, it gives us motivation and keeps us inspired. Goals are also helpful in assessing our progress. Goals help us become more accountable, and we can improve our accountability in work and professional life. Direction and Focus: We reach some places, but we do not have clear goals. But there are problems. But on the other hand, there are also problems. Sometimes we set unrealistic goals. We spent too much time just thinking and planning. When you start putting in effort and results are not coming, instead of adjusting our sail, we start to be frustrated. My personal experience has shown that our long-term goals often lead to problems. It’s very unclear what the situation will be after 10 to 15 years. The human mind can perceive a situation for a maximum of three months, which allows us to understand our current circumstances from a vantage point. Our vision cannot go beyond 3 months.
Recently, I read a few quotes that all had a similar message. Lord Chesterfield said,
“Take care of your minutes, and the hours will take care of themselves.”
Lord Chesterfield advised focusing on the tasks you need to complete at the moment to reach your goals. Leave the hours to consider how you want to plan out your life. Then, in the near past, Ramana Maharshi, an Indian guru, had two similar quotes.
The first one is “Engage yourself in the living present. The future will take care of itself.”
“Why should you concern yourself with the future?” You don’t have a comprehensive understanding of the present. Take care of the present; the future will take care of itself. “
These three quotes mentioned only one thing: just focus on the present moment. To focus on the present moment means to concentrate on short-term goals. Why is it important to have short-term goals? The secret to success is to set short-term goals. Short-term goals are visible and easily achievable. And more importantly, you can verify what you achieve.
In Dale Carnegie’s How to Start Living and Stop Worrying, I read a quote from Thomas Carlyle.
“Our main business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly ahead.”
Long-term goals are just vision. They hide in mist and dust. We cannot see far from now. If you still have long-term goals,. Then just write down these goals. Just set short-term goals. Align these short-term goals with your long-term objectives and concentrate on them. I hope you like this video. If you have goals, then you certainly have a happy life. Your future is bright. If you don’t have goals, drift along. Just start sitting down. Write down what you want and start from where you are. Life will not change until you do not start acting.
I was listening to a podcast where he discussed the concept of learning by doing. I think he is right. One of the most effective methods for learning anything is through hands-on experience. For example, if you want to learn programming or human language, you must practice or do it.
The second way is observation. Remember, when you visit a motorbike or car mechanic, young interns are merely observers. They are helpers, but they learn with observation. How are others doing? You observe and then do. Children learn anything from their parents. I continue to learn from my experiences and from the actions of others.
Teaching is the third method. If you want to learn any subject, start teaching it. When you are explaining anything to others, our minds think in different ways. Do you remember the rubber duck method? When you are unable to solve your programming problem, use the rubber duck method. Pick a rubber duck and start explaining it to him. Your mind solved the problem.
