Stuff Ive Learned the Hard Way - A Little Book of Zen

Giving is so much better than getting. Give with no expectation of getting something in return, and it becomes a purer, more beautiful act. Too often we give something and expect to get an equal measure in return — at least get some gratitude or recognition for our efforts. Try to let go of that need, and just give. Competition is very rarely as useful as cooperation.

But humans are meant to work together for the survival of the tribe, and cooperation pools our resources and allows everyone to contribute what they can. Gratitude is one of the best ways to find contentment. Be grateful every day. Compassion for other living things is more important than pleasure.

Many people scoff at vegetarianism because they love the taste of meat and cheese too much, but they are putting the pleasure of their taste buds ahead of the suffering of other living, feeling beings. You can be perfectly healthy on a vegetarian even vegan diet, so killing and torturing animals is absolutely unnecessary. Compassion is a much more fulfilling way to live than closing your eyes to suffering. I thought I could never give up meat, but by doing it slowly, I never missed it. I thought I could never give up junk food like sweets, fried crap, nachos, all kinds of unhealthy things … and yet today I would rather eat some fresh berries or raw nuts.

The world is full of distractions, but very few are as important as creating. In my job as a writer, there is nothing that comes close to being as crucial as creating.

In my life, creating is one of the few things that has given me meaning. In the larger picture, this one problem means almost nothing.

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Let it go, and move on. Use the magic of compound interest. Invest early, and it will grow as if by alchemy. Watch your money grow.

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Figure out what that worldview is, and question it. Ask if there are alternatives, and investigate. Learn the art of empathy. Too often we judge people on too little information. Life becomes much better if you learn this art. Most people try to do too much. They fill life with checklists, and try to crank out tasks as if they were widget machines. Stop being a machine and focus on what you love.

Some people obsess about the details, and miss out on the fun. That they already are. If you are not the copyright holder or its agent and if the content is clearly infringing the copyright of a well-known work, please select "Infringes a well-known work" from the dropdown menu. Lulu Staff has been notified of a possible violation of the terms of our Membership Agreement.

Our agents will determine if the content reported is inappropriate or not based on the guidelines provided and will then take action where needed. Thank you for notifying us. The page you are attempting to access contains content that is not intended for underage readers. I'll walk the reader through some of the things 'I've learned the hard way' in my own life. You too can learn to have a more peaceful and happy life through the application of some basic Zen principles, which were taught to me through more than 3 decades of martial arts study and teaching Tejitsu.

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When I was done, I had written it in a blur, as everyone edited it … and so I had no idea what changes had been made. I thought I should figure out what changes were made, and whether to keep them or not … but then I just decided to go with the wisdom of the crowd, and kept it as is. Take what you want from this list.

I find these things work, but your mileage will vary. Life then becomes effortless, as you accomplish big things while being less busy. Having less is lighter.

Start asking yourself if you really need everything you have, or if you just have it out of fear. And then, as you have less, you feel lighter. Let the little things go. People who struggle often fight over little things.

We create resistance instead of letting things glide off us. Let the little things go,breathe, and move on to the important things. Clean as you go.