Peace. zen. love. (Blog Post)

**peace. zen. love.** was the 1st post on the peace. love. zen. blog.

## Content

As the wise Kylie Jenner once said, this year has been all about "realizing stuff." And if there's one thing that I've realized, it's the toxicity of the internet. I feel as if the internet has become sweet poison... a love-hate relationship, of sorts. Now don't get me wrong, it has brought about SO MUCH goodness and enriched our lives in ways that we never knew possible (i.e., Damn Daniel). But the internet has also been an accessory to a major tragedy- the decline of our generation's morale and mental health. And the internet, like Fight Club, seems to only have one rule; try not to let it get under our skin. But oh boy, does it ever.

The internet has us addicted to looking at other people's lives... which often sparks jealousy, insecurity, annoyance, or leaves us longing for something that "they" have, and we don't. We hate it... but... we also love it. This leaves us in limbo of feeling fulfillment, which inevitably puts us into performance mode, where we then feel the need to prove to the world what's great about US, what's special about US, a.k.a, why WE deserve to be noticed, or "liked." So, we work to create this second life online... this digital personification, or often "better version" of ourselves. We showcase the cool things we do, the cool things we have and the cool people we're with (typically at the expense of being fully present in the moment and actually enjoying what we're doing). I mean, most of us even go the extra mile and "face-tune" ourselves in an attempt to look more attractive. We feel the pressure to maintain this unattainable standard, because the internet expects too much from us. This is pure distress for the mind, but alas, there's more. Upon putting ourselves out there, comes the real toll of the internet. The internet never hesitates to judge or be hateful; the negative things that spineless people say can stay with us for life. The internet never forgets; it can recall a mistake that we made years ago and smack us in the face with it as if it happened yesterday. The internet tends to have the ignorance of a child and yet the confidence of a scholar; it can drive us to lose faith in humanity due to the stupidity that seems to surround us.

The unhappiness, anxiety and depression that stem from these issues is not to be taken lightly. Some may roll their eyes and call this a "first-world problem", but I think that this issue is going to snowball into the plague of our time. And while on that topic, let's lay something to rest. When it comes to happiness, the most VALUABLE thing in life, first-world citizens are not necessarily on top. Countless studies have shown that it is often the poorer countries that have the highest rates of happiness. Why? How could this be? We have so much more comfort, security and luxuries than they do! Well, the psychology behind it is relatively basic. They have a greater sense of community/acceptance, they find joy in the small things, and most importantly- they've embraced their life for what it is and learned not to yearn for something more; a concept that is near-foreign to Westerners. They have mental freedom, whereas we've put our minds in a prison that has the mantra of "more, more, more". We're constantly working towards the future instead of enjoying the present. We've opted for a work-oriented life over a more simple, family-oriented life because we believe that the more we have, the happier we'll become. Sadly, this is a classic arrival fallacy that I wish more people understood the reality of. We will only find happiness when we learn to love OUR home, instead of constantly lusting over our neighbor's. Longing for what others have is a black hole that will suck us in and we'll never get out. Once we get "this", we'll be happy... but oh wait, no, once we get "THAT", we'll be happy... repeat, repeat, repeat. You know, I think Biggie was onto something when he said, "Mo' money, Mo' problems."

More on that later, but to the point- when I sat down and thought about which topics I wanted to cover on this blog, I thought about this "plague" and what I could do to bring some light into the lives of our generation. I thought about my personal journey, how far I've gotten and the paths I took to get there. And it hit me. THIS is what I need to share. Now don't get me wrong, I am 100% a work in progress... I still have so much to learn in life and nothing really qualifies me to give guidance to others. However, I will tell you that I have never been happier in life than I am right now. And I would love to help others feel the same.

To sum it up, there are three words that are responsible for my happiness. I think you can probably guess those three words. Yes- peace. zen. love.

PEACE. My journey finding peace all started when I became vegan. Prior, I would've considered myself to be a peaceful person... but upon researching the devastatingly adverse effects of animal agriculture, well, as corny as it sounds, it was almost as if a third eye opened; I suddenly reached a level of consciousness I had not experienced before. It made me feel so happy, the feeling is almost indescribable. I had always loved animals, but I suddenly cherished all life in the most beautiful way. These creatures are my cousins and I decided that it was part of my life goal to end their suffering and help heal this planet. I felt so at peace with myself and my choices. I applied this peaceful mindset to other areas of my life. This eye-opening experience made me realize that the programming that society had equipped me with was faulty and that I must research and question everything. This made me became more mindful in my everyday life, and I am forever grateful for that gift.

ZEN. My fascination with Zen Buddhism started about seven years ago. I was taking Japanese in college and was so in awe of the Buddhist teachings. I started reading the works of zen masters such as Osho, Lhamo Dondrub (Dalai Lama) and Matthieu Ricard. Those books completely transformed me. They taught me the power of living in the moment. They taught me how to deal with all of my negative thoughts. They taught me how to properly treat others. It seemed as if they had the answers to everything; reading those books triggered a thousand light bulbs for me.  I started practicing zazen (zen meditation) and studying Buddhist teachings on a weekly basis. I must give major credit to Buddhism, for it is the sole reason that I am still (somewhat) sane.

LOVE. I think we can all agree that love is the "major key" to happiness. Whether it be from yourself... family, friends or romantic... love is truly powerful. I have been lucky enough to have love in all of these departments. But my romantic love has been the most beneficial for me. I have never been as in love with another as I currently am. He is truly my rock in life and has brought me so much happiness. Our bond continues to deepen and I cannot wait to see where our partnership takes us.

So that's a little insight into the formula for my happiness and the foundation for this blog. From this, I've managed to sort my posts into three categories: growth, veganism, and lifestyle.

* **Growth** is all about self-improvement. We are all on a journey, but the difference is some people are aimlessly walking around and some people are using maps. I want to encourage you to use a map. When I say "use a map", I mean study works of wisdom written by others who have already been on the journey vs. trying to understand life on your own. I have read NOTHING but educational "self-improvement" books for the past six years of my life. This knowledge has been invaluable to me and I would love to share it with you all. Whether it be about Buddhism, philosophy, psychology, relationships or anything else beneficial.

* **Veganism** is not a trend, it is the future. I wish to open as many people's eyes to this as possible. I plan on sharing all of my favorite recipes, reviewing vegan products, and discussing the powerful information that compelled me to take such a strong vegan stance.

* **Lifestyle** is, well, lifestyle: fashion, beauty, home decor, travel... you know, typical 21st century girly blog things. However, over the years I've taken a more minimalistic approach to my possessions, so this category won't be nearly as exciting as the content you would find on most lifestyle blogs. I personally just feel it's easier to breath when I have less things. But that's not to say that I don't appreciate a nice lil' shopping trip from time to time.

Annnnd there you have it. The sum of my blog. I hope I've piqued your interest.