On the courage to change our lives

 In "The Art of Living," Thich Nhat Hanh writes,

We need to shake ourselves awake so we can change our way of living, so we can have more freedom, more happiness, more vitality, more compassion, more love. We have to reorganize our life so we have time to take care of our body, our feelings, our emotions, our loved ones, and our planet. Taking care of ourselves and others is the kind of adaptation we want to pass on to Future Generations. We have to remove the pressure that Society puts on us. We have to resist. Simply our way of walking from the parking lot to our office is a way of reacting: 'I refuse to run. I resist. I will not lose a single moment or a single step. I reclaim my freedom, peace, and joy with every step. This is my life, and I want to live it deeply.'

In another section, Thich Nhat Hanh writes, 

Perhaps we are caught up in seeking status, money, or sensual pleasures. All these things prevent us from touching that happiness, peace, and freedom that is available right here in the present moment. To disentangle ourselves, we need courage and determination. It takes courage to change our livelihood to one that is more in line with our deepest values and aspirations. It takes determination not to get carried away by projects that make us feel stressed and overworked, causing us to neglect ourselves and our loved ones. It takes courage to sit down with our partner, friend, or family member and open up communication. Each one of us needs to identify our ropes so we can cut ourselves free. We have to make time to sit down and ask ourselves honestly what is entangling us. Wanting to untie the ropes is not enough; we need to understand why those ropes entangle Us in the first place before we can free ourselves from them. How long do you have left to live? What is so important that you let it get in the way of your chance to live deeply and happily? When you get your priorities straight, you can let go of the restlessness, frustration, anxiety, and resentment you've been carrying.