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Our side hustle. Our main hustle. School. Relationships. Children. It’s hard not to be overwhelmed by each of the things we juggle at any given moment. Often, it can feel like it’s just too much, and we need to give up one thing to be successful in the others.
Though it may feel impossible at times, we can do it all. Why? Because within we have Buddhability. We have the wisdom, grit and ingenuity needed to score a victory in each aspect of our life.
Once Buddhist teacher Daisaku Ikeda was asked how to do it all and responded:
To get right to the point, it boils down to making a decision to do your best in everything and then having the determination not to retreat a single step. In severe circumstances, people tend to give up all too easily. They are convinced that the situation is hopeless before even considering what concrete actions they could take. In their hearts, they have already conceded defeat without even putting up a fight. That, in fact, is the cause of all failure.
Making it happen in each area of our life starts with seeing our great potential within. In the times when we feel it’s all too much, it’s natural to think there is a limit to what we can do. But Buddhism teaches that we actually have unlimited skill, determination and wisdom inside of us. That’s why saying “I can be successful in each area of my life” is also saying, “I believe in myself.”
Once we see things from this perspective, our competing challenges can feel like an adventure to see how much we can grow and bring this potential out.
That’s why saying “I can be successful in each area of my life” is also saying, “I believe in myself.”
Make time for chanting
Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo each day helps to make up our mind that we will be successful in each area of our life. The stronger this determination is, the more ingenuity we can pull out to navigate our busy life. In fact, sometimes the busier we are, the more we should find moments to chant.
As we get busy, the temptation to complain or feel sorry for ourselves only gets stronger. In these moments, chanting snaps us back. Instead of going there, we refocus on our victory and move forward.
Embrace the crucial moment
There are numerous, ingenious strategies we can use to win in everything. For example, in each area of our life there is a crucial moment. It’s only natural for a student to almost exclusively focus on school during their finals. Or to hunker down at our job when we have a deadline. Author and consultant Gustavo Razzetti echoes this idea by sharing that “knowing what matters” is the first step to winning in each part of our life. Recognizing what matters in the moment, helps us determine what we should give attention to and what asks of our time we can turn down.
Recognizing what matters in the moment, helps us determine what we should give attention to and what asks of our time we can turn down.
Razzetti adds,
Life balance is a mirage—the closer you think you get, the further away it goes.
That’s why it’s not important to achieve a balance each day of our life, but looking at things from a longer-term perspective. If we need to work late this week, take a day off another week.
Each person’s situation is unique, that’s why there is no one solution to being productive or balancing our schedule. We need to chant to bring out our wisdom and find out what will work for us on any given day, in any given moment.
Ingenuity and Finesse
People throughout time have found inspiring ways to make the most of their time. While most of us look at our days in increments of hours, some very busy people break up their day in 15-minute increments, finding it helps them to bring out the most of each moment.
Some also have incredible to-do lists that thoughtfully address their short-term and long-term goals.
In each moment of life, there exists infinite possibilities and opportunities. By chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo with resolve, we open our eyes to paths forward we could have never conceived of before. That’s why we should never limit ourselves but instead trust in our Buddhability and crush it in each part of our life.