The year can be happier if you pay extra attention to these things.
When a year comes to an end, most people look back with a happy or heavy heart to appreciate the past year.
At the same time, a wish is made that the coming year will be just as good, but in most cases people are hopeful that it will be better. But what will it take to make this happen? The general recipe is not impossible to formulate: psychologist Jordan Fiorillo Scotti has tried.
A better life in 2023
Jordan Fiorillo Scotti, who is also an expert in Buddhist psychology, believes that it’s a mistake to think that one’s life will be better if they lose weight, move house or change career.
A better life can begin today, even at this moment, along the noble eightfold path known from Buddha’s teachings, which is the basis of Buddhist religious practice. It is a set of eight ideals, containing attitudes and behaviors in the areas of wisdom, conduct and concentration. According to the Buddha, one can free oneself from suffering by following this eightfold path, while freeing oneself from desires.
1. Right view – believe in the Four Noble Truths, which can be summarized with the statement that life is suffering, which comes from the desire for impermanent things.
2. Right intention – be open to progress and improvement.
3. Right speech – sincere speech is very important in everyday life, so this is what you should strive for. Communication should always be purposeful.
4. Right action – avoid sins! Be aware of the difference between right and wrong, and always weigh your actions.
5. Right livelihood – this point applies to work. Do something for a living that does not involve cheating, lying, or doing something that causes harm to others.
6 Right effort – be careful and persistent in practicing the other seven principles. According to Buddhism, a person who is lazy and selfish has no chance of change.
7. Right mindfulness – develop self-awareness as much as possible. Focus on the present and not on the past or the future.
8. Right concentration – in Buddhism this point refers to concentration exercises, religious chanting and breathing techniques. Meditate and clear your mind of all other thoughts, keeping only the one you are focused on. In this way you can reach the highest level, which in Buddhism is called samadhi.