The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to be Calm in a Busy World

by Haemin Sunim

When we look at the outside world, we are looking at only a small part that interests us. The world we see is not the entire universe but a limited one that the mind cares about.

A very modern dilemma: There are countless television channels but nothing interesting to watch. Too many choices make people unhappy.

Do not lament that the world has changed. Do not resent that people have changed. Evaluating the present through the memories of the past can cause sadness. Whether you like it or not, change is inevitable. Embrace and welcome it.

When someone swears at you, stay calm and collected for thirty seconds. Then, that is the end of it. But if you fight back and demand, “What is your problem?” you will have to spend more time with that unhappy person.

When we hate someone, we think about him a lot. Unable to let him go, we gradually begin to act like him. Don’t let him become a long-term tenant of the heart. Evict him right away with a notice of forgiveness.

Does the person you hate deserve to be carried around in your heart? Keep in your heart only those who love you. If you carry around with you people you hate, it causes only angst and depression.

Let people have their own opinions— they are entitled to them. It is when you want to change their opinion problems arise. This is not only impossible and futile but also unnecessary. How boring would the world be if everyone thought exactly the same way? When you grant people freedom, you will find yours, too.

What is the use of someone carrying a designer handbag when her behavior lacks the same refinement?