Zen Reinvention

Glancing at my Facebook homepage briefly tonight, I found my friend Sejal had posted a link to an website dedicated to Zen Habits. Here's what it has to say about becoming your best (there were five suggestions, but here are the last three):

"3. Clear away distractions and focus.
Clear away email and Facebook and Twitter and your favorite blogs and news websites and social forums, clear away the iPhone or Blackberry or Android or cell phone, clear away all the little nagging work and chores and errands that pull at your attention, clear away the clutter that surrounds you (sweep it off to the side to deal with later).

In fact, if you can, shut off the Internet for awhile. You can come back to it when you take a break.

Now, find focus. Even if only for 15 or 20 minutes at first, but preferably for 30-60 minutes. You can take a break and check your email or whatever after you’ve focused. Focus on the thing that matters most. Do it for as long as you can, until you’re done if possible. Feel free to take breaks, but always return to your focus.

When you’re done, focus on the next thing that matters most, and so on.

4. Find happiness now.
Don’t look at happiness as something that will come when you’re done with this goal, or when you’ve attained a certain accomplishment or certain amount of wealth or material goods. Don’t look at happiness as a destination, something that you’ll get later.

Happiness is possible right now. Always remember that. When you push it back until later, it’ll never come. When you learn to be happy now, it’ll always be here.

When you’re doing whatever you’re passionate about, whatever matters most, whatever you decide is worthy of your time and heart and focus … be happy! You’re doing what you love. And that is truly a gift.

5. Reinvent yourself, every day.
Every day, you are reborn. Reinvent yourself and your life, every day. Do what matters most to you, that day.

It might be the same thing that mattered most yesterday, or it might not be. That isn’t important. What’s important is today — right now. Be passionate, be happy, right now.

You’ll have a fresh start every single day — not just on January 1. And that, my friends, is the best thing ever."

This last one reminds me of George Emerson from A Room with a View. You know--the guy who shouts "BEAUTY! LOVE!" from atop a tree in Italy? Passion. A good wheel to get behind. Onward! (And thanks for posting, Sejal!)

[Photo: Took this one in Ft. Cochin, India, right around the corner from the coolest little bookstore I'd ever seen. Thought it was appropriate, if you substitute "the lord" with "your soul."]

[N.b., 1/5/09: Thanks Marilyn in San Fran, for photoshopping.]