I have been reading alot in the last few months about the ways of the Buddha, and feel there are some really good lessons that are worth sharing. One of the things I love most about Buddhism is that it is not a defined set of 'rules' and Buddhists are free to pick the lessons that fit with their own value system.

The essence of Buddhism is to be a good person - controlling your reactions and thinking of others. On of the things that has made a huge impact on me in the fact that we control our reactions to situations - two people can have the exact same experience and their reaction will define how they view the outcome.

Controlling your reactions

Imagine you are in a car accident, and the other driver is definitely at fault - the majority of people would feel anger, and some would even get aggressive towards the other driver. However, acting this way doesn't change the situation, and it only breeds more anger and arguments. The Buddha, however, might approach the situation differently - deciding not to lay blame, and may even seek for understanding - maybe the other driver was having a bad day. The same experience will leave the first person wound up, angry and upset, while the Buddha will be content and move on with their day.

It is a simple, but powerful concept, and one that I have been trying to adapt and bring into areas of my day - it is not easy (as often humans like to blame others and generally be negative), but with practice it is becoming easier.

I would love to hear examples of how you have reacted the wrong (or right) way and how it has affected the outcome of a situation!

Your attitude defines your experience

Connected to this idea is the idea of how your own attitude affects how you experience an activity. In the past, I have worked jobs that I really haven't enjoyed, and made a big deal about moaning about how little I enjoy the work. All this does is set your mind in a negative state - of course, if you tell yourself you don't like something then you probably wont! You don't have to be over the top positive, but I now try and stick with the old saying 'If you've got nothing good to say, then say nothing at all!'

Again the results of this have been brilliant - I am often doing the same job I hated 6 months ago, but by changing my attitude the results have been night and day!

Next time you are off to do a mundane job, or something you are dreading, I challenge you to think about and evaluate your thoughts and try to project positivity. The old saying goes 'fake it till you make it' - even if you have to pretend that you are going to enjoy something it makes a difference. It also makes a difference in how others percieve you, as you will appear more happy and more approachable.

Moving forward

I hope to share some more of the wisdom of Buddha in the future as I learn more.

I challenge you to think about and change your attitude when it comes to things that you don't enjoy - it might make all the difference. I think that anything that challenges your current belief system and encourages you to be a better person is worth investing some time in.