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I hate myself
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Question May 16, 2020 at 12:13 AM
  #1
I've been looking at multiple guides on how to practice empathy, and a form of Buddhism has really interested me, yet I am too lazy to try it out? Can anyone help me quit being lazy and begin to start getting better?
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Smile May 29, 2020 at 02:54 PM
  #2
I don't think there are any suggestions I can offer based on personal experience. My own opinion is that it's really difficult to sustain something such as a mindfulness or a Buddhist practice alone especially if depression & anxiety are in the mix. That's why there are companies & organizations such as Weight Watchers. It's also why there are groups such as Alcoholics Anonymous because, try as we might, most of us just can't successfully "go it alone", so to speak. We need others around us who are striving to achieve the same goals, whatever they might be & who can support us in our efforts. (Of course the current pandemic situation makes this sort of thing especially difficult.)

You mentioned "a form of Buddhism". And I don't know what you meant by that. Buddhism, like Christianity, encompasses many different traditions such as the Tibetan traditions, Ch'an in China, Zen in Japan, and undoubtedly others that I don't know about or that wouldn't occur to me "off the top of my head", so to speak. One thing that I think pretty-much every Buddhist master would agree on would be that it is important to find a tradition one feels at home with & stick with it. One mistake western people frequently make, I believe, is that they try a little of one tradition & then something from another, etc. This is not the way progress toward the Buddhist goal of "enlightenment" (whatever that is.) So, while finding a qualified teacher may not be practical for many of us, I think what we can do is to find a Buddhist writer one feels comfortable with & focus on the instruction in that author's writings. In my own case, I have been an (admittedly poor) follower of the writings of the American Buddhist nun Pema Chödrön for many years. But there is also Thich Nhat Hanh who is wonderful, & many others I'm sure.

So with those thoughts in mind, here are links to 3 articles, from Psych Central's archives, that offer suggestions for developing motivation:

10 Ways To Find New Motivation

10 Ways To Find New Motivation and Rise Above Roadblocks

The Motivated Mind: Where Our Passion & Creativity Comes From


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Default Sep 01, 2020 at 05:07 AM
  #3
Why don't you allow yourself to be lazy? For a while. It's not so bad.
And then do your best in acheaving your goals
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Default Jan 14, 2021 at 09:48 PM
  #4
If you have any addiction of any kind you can look up A Buddhist Inspired Path to Recovery from Addiction - Refuge Recovery. In some cities there is Shambala. Shambala is based off Tibetan Buddhism, but it's practice starts off secular and can be paired with any tradition. Home - Fort Collins Shambhala Meditation Center. You can stay there as a volunteer and help with camp, it's almost free that way. I have yet to be able to set that up and it takes time, but maybe you can. There are also tons of videos online of the Dalai lama's speeches, he teaches meditation and he the Buddha of compassion. Plus there are always Alan Watts videos, You're It is a great one if you have 8 hours to listen to it. If a schizoaffective person with a disorganized attachment style and history of alcoholism can learn empathy, so can you!

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Default Jan 15, 2021 at 04:23 PM
  #5
I also wanted to add there are good YouTube videos on meditation. I'm not Buddhist, I'm a meditator, but meditation can help with empathy.

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Default Jan 17, 2021 at 04:26 PM
  #6
Quote:
Originally Posted by I hate myself View Post
I've been looking at multiple guides on how to practice empathy, and a form of Buddhism has really interested me, yet I am too lazy to try it out? Can anyone help me quit being lazy and begin to start getting better?

Empathy toward other beings? If you feel like sharing, which form (philosophy) of Buddhism?

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