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How to Let Things Go

99 Tips from a Zen Buddhist Monk to Relinquish Control and Free Yourself Up for What Matters

Translated by Allison Markin Powell
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On sale Nov 12, 2024 | 2 Hours and 32 Minutes | 9780593947470

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“You might have encountered the ‘let them’ theory, inspired by the book of the same name by motivational speaker Mel Robbins. . . . Another book with a similar message [is] How to Let Things Go. . . . Perfectly designed for modern readers . . . it provides a deeply practical approach to life.” —Buddhistdoor Global

Feeling overwhelmed? Step away from life's demands and free yourself up for what matters with this succinct and sensible guide by the Zen Buddhist author of the international bestsellers The Art of Simple Living and Don't Worry.


Amid the relentless cycle of news, social media, emails, and texts, it can be hard to know when, if ever, you can take a break from everything clamoring for your attention. The internationally bestselling Buddhist monk Shunmyo Masuno offers a radical message: You can leave it all be, and, indeed, sometimes the best thing you can learn is how to do nothing. How to Let Things Go will teach you to:

  • Lesson #2: Give people space—being caring and being nosy are not the same thing.
  • Lesson #15: Remember that social media is a tool and nothing more.
  • Lesson #19: Let a relationship come to an end rather than force it.
  • Lesson #40: Think of letting things go not as throwing them away but as setting them free.
  • Lesson #75: Make decisions in the light of the morning—don't rush into them.
  • Lesson #90: Slow down and take more breaks.

With these and ninety-three other practical tips, you can abandon the futile pursuit of trying to control everything and discover the key to a fulfilling social life; individual well-being; and a calmer, more focused mind.
Shunmyo Masuno is the head priest of a 450-year-old Zen Buddhist temple in Japan, an award-winning Zen garden designer for clients all over the world, and a professor of environmental design at one of Japan's leading art schools. He has lectured widely, including at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cornell University, and Brown University. View titles by Shunmyo Masuno

About

“You might have encountered the ‘let them’ theory, inspired by the book of the same name by motivational speaker Mel Robbins. . . . Another book with a similar message [is] How to Let Things Go. . . . Perfectly designed for modern readers . . . it provides a deeply practical approach to life.” —Buddhistdoor Global

Feeling overwhelmed? Step away from life's demands and free yourself up for what matters with this succinct and sensible guide by the Zen Buddhist author of the international bestsellers The Art of Simple Living and Don't Worry.


Amid the relentless cycle of news, social media, emails, and texts, it can be hard to know when, if ever, you can take a break from everything clamoring for your attention. The internationally bestselling Buddhist monk Shunmyo Masuno offers a radical message: You can leave it all be, and, indeed, sometimes the best thing you can learn is how to do nothing. How to Let Things Go will teach you to:

  • Lesson #2: Give people space—being caring and being nosy are not the same thing.
  • Lesson #15: Remember that social media is a tool and nothing more.
  • Lesson #19: Let a relationship come to an end rather than force it.
  • Lesson #40: Think of letting things go not as throwing them away but as setting them free.
  • Lesson #75: Make decisions in the light of the morning—don't rush into them.
  • Lesson #90: Slow down and take more breaks.

With these and ninety-three other practical tips, you can abandon the futile pursuit of trying to control everything and discover the key to a fulfilling social life; individual well-being; and a calmer, more focused mind.

Author

Shunmyo Masuno is the head priest of a 450-year-old Zen Buddhist temple in Japan, an award-winning Zen garden designer for clients all over the world, and a professor of environmental design at one of Japan's leading art schools. He has lectured widely, including at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Cornell University, and Brown University. View titles by Shunmyo Masuno

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