Back in 2006 I was mending my first heartache (ah young love). After dating a guy for a year….he “ghosted” me.

Yup, he never talked to me again nor returned any of my phone calls “out of the blue.” I obviously got the point after a few days but my ego was very hurt.  

So, my friend suggested I read, his holiness’ book called “The Art of Happiness.”  It was my first exposure to a Buddhist perspective. 

I was immediately drawn to this extremely simple but yet profound way of thinking.  

That your own happiness is 100% your responsibility. 

 

Wow, how radical?

 

And by practicing the ancient art of: non-attachment, compassion, kindness, gratitude, forgiveness and humility you will find eternal peace. 

 

Doing things like, slowing down, paying more attention, focusing and becoming more still.

 

Sounds too easy to be true, surely there’s got to be a catch?  

 

But there wasn’t and each page of wisdom resonated more and more. There was absolutely nothing to believe but only everything to discover. 

 

I began to feel the anxiety in my belly release, realizing that I didn’t do anything wrong and couldn’t have done anything different. 

 

The pain in my chest started to subside realizing that this person who I felt betrayed by was only doing their best and they didn’t intentionally try to hurt me. 

 

There was less sadness and more empowerment. 

 

Or in the Dalia Lama’s words “Although you may not always be able to avoid difficult situations, you can modify the extent to which you can suffer by how you choose to respond to the situation.” 

 

This is what I liked the most, I felt liberated knowing that I could choose how I responded to situations.

 

The control freak in me - loved knowing that I was in the driver’s seat of my own emotional well-being but hated the fact that this was THE ONLY THING I could control.

 

I’m not saying this book will change your life but it certainly changed mine. Even though I wouldn’t formally practice meditation for another 10 years, this book led me on a path to manifesting a mindful mindset. 

 

A mindful mindset is open to EVERYTHING but
attached to NOTHING. 

 

Sounds like a paradox…. because it is. Don’t to intellectualise it. Go out in the real world and start practicing it!  

If you are feeling overwhelmed, underwhelmed or suffering in any sort of way, put on a mindful mindset and ask yourself…..

Where can I be more open and less attached? 

 

Here is a FREE PDF copy of “The Art of Happiness” + some great quotes:

 “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

 “A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering.”

 

 “No matter what activity or practice we are pursuing, there isn't anything that isn't made easier through constant familiarity and training. Through training, we can change; we can transform ourselves.”

 

“The more honest you are, the more open, the less fear you will have, because there's no anxiety about being exposed or revealed to others.

“When life becomes too complicated and we feel overwhelmed, it’s often useful just to stand back and remind ourselves of our overall purpose, our overall goal. When faced with a feeling of stagnation and confusion, it may be helpful to take an hour, an afternoon, or even several days to simply reflect on what it is that will truly bring us happiness, and then reset our priorities on the basis of that. This can put our life back in proper context, allow a fresh perspective, and enable us to see which direction to take.”

15 years later and it still all resonates. Timeless.