You are the ultimate master of your life. So, don’t bother too much about the society so long as you are not doing something wrong. Society has a lot of time for gossip and to create unwritten laws for its members. Some of them may be good but many of them could lead to lots of unnecessary stress.
The top Buddhist spiritual leader and philosopher, His Holiness Dalai Lama, has some interesting recommendations to offer in this regard:
Get married when you are ready—not before 30
I do not know about other parts of the world but, in India, worry lines appear on the foreheads of parents when girls reach the age of 18. They start looking for good boys so that their daughters may be settled in life sooner than later. Many a time this deprives the girls of their right to fulfill their wishes of higher education or their preparations to qualify for prestigious jobs. The decision of marriage should ideally be left to the person concerned whether it is a girl or a boy.
Retire with loads of memories—not with $5 million
Agreed. Financial security is very important in life. But if you hurt others to earn big bucks, you may end up with lots of money but very few friends. Memories of your past may come back to haunt you because, in spite of what money can do, it cannot buy love or peace.
Become an influencer—not an entrepreneur
When you become an entrepreneur, you become a boss and throw your weight around. You tend to think that you are the boss and others work for you. But, when you become an influencer, you become a leader. As a leader, you do not pass orders. You work with your team and you lead by example. You become one with your team and influence them by helping them to do better in life.
Fall in love with inner beauty—not someone beautiful
True. Beauty is an inborn weakness amongst human beings. But beauty of the heart is more important than the beauty of the face in the long run. Besides, beauty is but skin deep.
Make parents proud by letting them know how happy you are…
All of us have our eyes fixed on our income. But parents feel happy when they finf their children are happy. Parents feel proud when they come to know of the achievements of their children. If you earn a fortune at the cost of constant stress, you may have to pay a heavy price in the end when you develop complications related to your health.
Make real friends—not many friends
You may have all of 5,000 friends on facebook but if you have no friend who would come and stand by you in times of trouble, you have no real friend. You may not have many friends but if you have few true and trustworthy friends, they are sufficient to see you through your trying times.
Find happiness in the ordinary—not in luxuries
If you invest in a simple life, you can save a lot of money for your old age. But if you splurge all your earnings on luxuries, you will find yourself borrowing money in the later part of your life.
Find someone whom you cannot live without
The whole secret of happiness lies in finding a compatible life partner or soulmate. Your life partner has got to be your best friend without whom you cannot live. But most of us go out in search of partners we can live with. As a result, our life becomes a bundle of adjustments and compromises at every stage.
Finally, remember this: you were born to live your life. Do not waste it by making continuous efforts to impress others and thinking about society.
