In my travels, I see many people struggle with depression, loneliness, low self-esteem, and anxiety. Many people ask me how to work with that, especially nowadays when there is a lot of emotional turbulence, unstable political situations, and environmental challenges. Somehow in this generation, our minds have become more sensitive, with less resilience.

From my teaching experience and discussions with scientists, I think there are seven ways that really help. The first is aerobic exercise. Of course, if you have health issues or a heart condition, consult a doctor. Normally, aerobic exercise helps with fatigue and stress. It helps me too when I feel tired or a bit speedy.

Number two is sleep. Try to sleep early if you can. If you cannot fall asleep easily, maybe avoid caffeine after 1 p.m. and let go of gadgets, avoiding television or surfing the internet at the end of the day. If your phone is next to your pillow, you’ll grab it. So, don’t bring your gadget into the bedroom. And make the room a little bit cool. When lying down, relax your muscles from head to feet. If you can feel gravity, that’s good. Don’t look for sleep, either—if you look for it, sleep will disappear. Just think that whether or not it comes, it does not matter.

Your diet is important. Many of you know how to eat healthy, right? A balanced meal with more vegetables. I am vegetarian, but in my hometown, some animals die naturally, so I eat animal products that come from a natural death. If you want to become vegan or vegetarian, wonderful.

Number four is taking three deep breaths. This can uplift you. If you feel unhappy or tired, breathe in through your nose slowly, then exhale, let go, and rest a bit. Rest your mind and body in the space between breaths. Deep breathing helps—it energizes the body and relaxes the mind.

Number five is meditation. Sound meditation is often quite easy for everyone. At first, I recommend listening to music without words, or maybe natural sounds like creeks, wind, or birds. Relax your body and listen to the sounds. When the ear and mind listen together, that becomes meditation. Eventually, you can listen to bothersome sounds like traffic – no problem. You can do sound meditation when sitting, walking—anytime, anywhere.

Number six is gratitude and appreciation. This really helps. Maybe you can keep a gratitude journal. Appreciate three things about yourself, others, and the world. For example, “I am still alive! Wonderful!” “I still have my senses…” Whatever you have, appreciate that. When you eat, appreciate the food. It depends on so many causes and conditions—the farmers, the sellers, the chef, and now it is here on your plate. How wonderful!

When we begin to appreciate, what happens? In our brain and body, the prana, bindu, and nadi are similar to what scientists call neurons and electrical charges and rhythms. They will change and create new pathways based on seeing the positive. Then we will have a new world—we will change our perception.

Number seven is “okay with not okay.” Everybody makes mistakes. Normally, we want things to be 100% perfect, and if not, they aren’t worth it. But everybody has problems and makes mistakes. These mistakes and failures are not inherent in your true nature. On a fundamental level, we are not broken or incomplete. On the surface, we have mistakes and problems—that is okay.

In Tibet, we say, “No mistakes, no success. Repeating the same mistakes, no success.” It is okay to have failure. Learning to be “okay with not okay” is wisdom. So, forgive yourself. Whatever happened in the past, let it go. What is important is the future, and a wonderful future depends on the present. So be here now. All this “blah, blah, blah,” all this thought, is not true. Thought is just opinion, and that is not you.

These seven ways can help us work with different mental disturbances and develop resilience. They’re good for physical and mental hygiene – and if they’re good for our health and mind, they’re good for our life.

November 2024