How to Stay Motivated When Life Falls Apart
Written by Michelle Ong | April 14, 2024 | Growth
Check out eight inspiring short Buddhist parables to help you stay motivated and strong when facing tough times.
Life has a knack for throwing us unexpected challenges when we least expect them. Maybe you’re going through a tough time right now and you are feeling like you have run out of strength to keep going. Perhaps you’ve lost someone dear to you, and coping with grief feels like an uphill battle. Maybe you’ve been hit with a serious illness or injury that’s turned your world upside down.
When you feel like your life is falling apart, it’s easy to wallow in self-pity, fear and drown in despair. But remember, you have the power to ease the burden and find motivation even in the darkest moments. Let’s explore six Buddhist parables that show how to stay motivated even when things seem bleak and hopeless.
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1. Adversity Is Inevitable
A grieving mother sought out Buddha in desperation, pleading for him to bring her child back to life. Moved by her sorrow, Buddha agreed to help, but with a condition: she must bring him a mustard seed from a household untouched by death. Determined, the mother set out on her quest, knocking on doors in search of the elusive seed.
She searched from house to house but found that every family had faced grief. Returning empty-handed, she realized that suffering and loss are part of life for everyone.
2. Discard Unnecessary Worry
“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”
Marcus Aurelius
A man was carrying a heavy bag up a mountain. The bag was full of rocks, and it made his journey slow and hard. Halfway up, he met a wise monk who asked, “Why are you carrying this heavy bag?”
The man replied, “I need it for my journey.”
The monk smiled and said, “If the bag is full of rocks, it will only weigh you down. To climb more easily, let go of what you don’t need.”
The man thought about it and realized he was carrying rocks he didn’t need. He left the bag behind and found the climb much easier.
3. Letting Go Is The Way
“Don’t demand that things happen as you wish, but wish that they happen as they do happen, and you will go on well.”
Epictetus
A man was rowing upstream, struggling against the strong current. No matter how hard he paddled, he made little progress and grew exhausted. A wise man watching from the riverbank called out, “Why fight the current? Let it guide you.”
Frustrated, the man replied, “I want to go my way!”
The wise man smiled and said, “Sometimes, the river knows a better path. Trust it.”
The man stopped resisting, let the current take him, and found that the river led him to a better destination than he imagined.
4. Seeking Support Is Not A Weakness
“The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.”
Epictetus
In a village, there was a young tree struggling to grow. It was thin and weak, struggling in the harsh wind. Nearby, a strong, old tree noticed the young tree’s struggle and gently offered its shade and shelter.
The young tree was grateful and grew stronger, thanks to the support from the old tree. Eventually, it became tall and sturdy itself.
One day, a passerby remarked, “The young tree is now strong, but it needed help to get there.”
The old tree replied, “True strength comes from knowing when to give and when to receive support. We grow stronger together.”
5. Face Your Emotions
A woman cherished her favorite teacup, but one day, it cracked. Heartbroken, she put it away, avoiding using it. A monk visited her and asked, “Why hide it?”
She replied, “It’s damaged. I can’t bear to see it broken.”
The monk smiled and said, “The crack is part of its journey, just as sorrow is part of yours. Hiding it won’t change its reality. Use the cup, cherish it, and remember—nothing lasts forever, but each moment is precious.
6. Nurture Abundance
“Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not, but reckon up the chief of the blessings you do possess, and then thankfully remember how you would crave for them if they were not yours.”
Marcus Aurelius
A monk sat under a cherry blossom tree, admiring its beauty as the petals gently fell. A young man approached, troubled by his hardships, and asked, “How can I find peace when life is so difficult?”
The monk pointed to the blossoms and said, “These flowers are beautiful, but they only last for a short time. Yet, knowing they will fall makes us appreciate them even more. Life, like the blossoms, is fleeting—so cherish each moment, for brighter days will come, just as these flowers will bloom again.
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7. Channel Your Inner Bounce-Back Hero
“New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.”
Lao Tzu
A powerful storm once swept through a forest. Trees were uprooted, and plants were flattened. But one bamboo plant remained standing. After the storm passed, a traveler asked the bamboo, “How did you survive when everything else was destroyed?”
The bamboo replied, “I bend, but I do not break. Instead of resisting the storm, I let it pass through me.
8. Look On The Bright Side
A woman carried water in two pots, one perfectly intact, the other cracked and leaking. Every day, she walked from the river to her home, and the cracked pot only arrived half full. One day, the pot apologized for its flaw.
The woman smiled and said, “Have you noticed the flowers growing along your side of the path? Your crack watered them every day.”
The pot realized that its flaw had brought beauty to the world, despite its imperfection.
What Do You Think
“Believe in new beginnings, for they are the seeds of greatness.”
What do you think of these stories? Life can feel like a steep climb when things get tough, unpredictable, and messy. But remember, you’re not alone. It’s okay to feel scared or overwhelmed. What matters is how you face those feelings. Instead of letting them hold you back, meet them with courage and resilience.
It won’t always be easy, and you may feel like giving up at times. But think of how far you’ve come already—that’s proof of your strength. So, when life hits hard, remind yourself: you’ve got this. You can handle even the toughest challenges and come out stronger.
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