Today we are discussing a question that comes up a lot: How do I stop comparing myself to other people? It can be a real struggle, especially if you feel like the people around you are better or farther ahead than you in some way. Here’s an article we did on the subject, called Feel like you’re falling behind?
Our guest today is Harrison Tsao, who started practicing Buddhism in high school because he was deeply struggling with anxiety and depression, stemming from the fact that he found school really challenging, and was constantly being compared to his twin brother. It’s a really inspiring story: Once he started chanting, he took steady steps to find his own path forward and discovered his dream of becoming a chef. Then Covid-19 happened. Still, he never gave up.
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Cheat Sheet
00:13 Introduction to today’s topic
2:17 Why Harrison started practicing Buddhism
6:45 What it was like growing up as a twin
9:41 His journey toward college and finding his dream
15:41 How Covid-19 impacted his path
18:32 How having a Buddhist community helped him navigate his path forward
22:28 The quote that changed his life
24:38 How he started setting goals for himself
29:59 Advice for anyone who feels like other people are farther ahead in life
31:59 Where Harrison is now