Love life
Nothing extra. Only what you love
Love life.
The first noble truth of Buddhism: suffering exists. When the Buddha spoke of suffering, he didn’t mean an abstract “life is pain” — he meant a concrete list of mental afflictions. Afflictions are contagious. They get into others and play themselves out. It’s easy to list what you don’t like, what you can’t do anymore, what drives you crazy. It’s easy to say things aren’t going the way they could or the way you wanted. And you can infect others with your version. Meanwhile you’re releasing poison into your own aquarium. There’s no one else. This is water.
You start to see through the illusion — and that heavy bag you keep dragging around — you can just put it down. You don’t need it. It’s not there.
You can choose what to let into your life. You keep only what you love. You think only thoughts you love. The rest you just walk past. You become yourself, keeping only what you like.
Try replacing “fine” with “I enjoy it” or “I put up with it” and go through every area. Work: enjoy or put up with? Choose “I enjoy it.”
In life, there should be nothing extra. Only what you want. Everything else, for me, simply — does not happen. It’s on the other side of the screen. Not on this side. Not on mine.
Nothing extra. Only what you love. People you love. Things you love doing. A life you love. Nothing else needed.
Feel what feels good, sense the good, love what you love. Do what makes you light up.
Love life.