Member-only story
Thích Nhất Hạnh: You Can End Your Suffering If You Stop Feeding It
Suffering is not permanent
When something terrible happens, we take it as a personal attack on our character. When we feel attacked, we instinctively defend ourselves by trying to figure out a way to respond better in future (even if that means ruminating and wasting mental energy).
But the more we dwell on something unpleasant and dwell on it repeatedly, the more chances there are that it will take root.
Suffering or misery grows stronger overtime when we feed negative emotions with negative actions.
Small moments of discomfort, stress and anxiety can build into something much bigger over time. When you feed your negative emotions (go back to the same sources and triggers repeatedly), they will grow stronger and stronger until you no longer have any control over them.
Every habit or behaviour (both good and bad) grows when you feed it. The more you feed what’s making you miserable, the more it gathers momentum to torment you.
Suffering grows when you feed it with negative thoughts and actions. It compounds, hangs over your head and takes over your life if you keep ruminating about suffering. Worries take control of your life because you can’t stop chewing on everything wrong in your life.
