Reasonable Resolutions

At the beginning of every new year, it is a common practice in Western culture to make resolutions and set goals for the upcoming year. As a Buddhist monk, Ajahn Brahm believes that it is important to set reasonable and useful goals, and to not aim too high in order to avoid disappointment and frustration. He also cautions against setting goals that are influenced by external societal pressures, such as becoming wealthy or famous. As a Buddhist, Ajahn Brahm’s New Year's resolution would be to focus on the true purpose and goal of my actions, rather than just trying to do more of something. For example, instead of saying I will meditate more, my goal would be to become more peaceful and kind. Similarly, instead of focusing on making more money, I will strive to enjoy and appreciate what I already have. — This dhamma talk was originally recorded in 2nd January 2009. It has now been remastered and published by the Everyday Dhamma Network, and will be of interest to his many fans. These talks by Ajahn Brahm have been recorded and made available for free distribution by the Buddhist Society of Western Australia under the Creative Commons licence. You can support the Buddhist Society of Western Australia by pledging your support via their Ko-fi page.