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Lao Tzu, an ancient Chinese 
philosopher emphasized the  

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importance of building discipline 
that comes from within yourself,  

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rather than relying on rules or pressures from 
outside sources to make you behave a certain way.

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In Western notions of self-discipline, 
there's a very strong emphasis on willpower,  

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exerting effort, setting strict 
rules, adhering to schedules,  

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and pushing oneself to achieve specific goals. 
This idea of putting all your focus on willpower  

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and trying really hard can have some problems.
Constantly adhering to strict rules and schedules  

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can create immense pressure, potentially 
resulting in stress-related health issues  

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and mental fatigue. Moreover, this approach may 
create a narrow focus on external achievements,  

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neglecting the importance of holistic 
well-being. Indeed we may become so  

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fixated on reaching predetermined goals that 
we miss out on chances to be spontaneous,  

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creative, and to grow as a person from 
within. So while the Western approach to  

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self-discipline may get you results you 
can see, relying too much on willpower  

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and strictness could hurt your overall health, 
and may stop you from living a holistic life.

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In contrast, Taoism's concept of self-discipline 
takes a different approach, emphasizing a more  

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relaxed and effortless way of thinking. Taoism 
is a philosophy that emphasizes living in harmony  

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with the Tao, the natural way of the universe. So 
rather than fighting against obstacles with force,  

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self-discipline in Taoism is all about 
flowing with the natural rhythms of life,  

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allowing your actions to flow 
naturally and smoothly, rather  

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than forcing yourself to stick to strict 
rules or trying to ignore your desires.

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Lao Tzu is credited as the founder of Taoism 
and the author of Taoism's most sacred text,  

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The Tao Te Ching and in this video 
we’ll talk about how to effortlessly  

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build your self discipline 
from the wisdom of Lao tzu.

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Stop trying too hard 

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Lao Tzu says “Nature does not hurry, 
yet everything is accomplished."

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We've all seen this moment of spontaneous action 
in us when we’ve effortlessly caught a ball  

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thrown our way or when a musician harmoniously 
glides their fingers across the piano keys,  

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producing beautiful melodies that seem 
to flow effortlessly from their soul.  

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This effortless action or non action 
in taoist philosophy is called wu wei.

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Contrary to how it may appear at 
face-value, Wu Wei doesn’t mean  

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to not take any action but rather to act in 
accordance with the natural flow of events,  

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without unnecessary effort or resistance. 
Self-discipline, in this context, involves  

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knowing when to act and when to refrain from 
acting, allowing things to unfold naturally. 

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Imagine a skilled potter at work. With practiced 
hands, the potter molds clay on the wheel,  

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creating beautiful vessels. Despite 
the precision and effort involved,  

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there's a sense of effortlessness in the 
potter's movements. Each action is purposeful  

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yet unhurried, flowing naturally from one step 
to the next. In this metaphor, the potter is  

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actively making something, not fighting against 
it. There's a sense of alignment with the clay,  

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the wheel, and the process itself. Instead of 
pushing the clay too hard, the potter gently  

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shapes it using their skills and working together 
with the process, cooperating with it rather than  

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trying to control or dominate it. By following Wu 
Wei, we learn to cultivate a balanced approach to  

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self-discipline, knowing when to do something and 
when to wait. This helps life to flow smoothly  

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just like a potter shapes clay with skill and 
ease, moving gracefully through the process.

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To understand how following Wu Wei can help 
us in maintaining discipline, imagine yourself  

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having a deadline approaching for an important 
project, but you find yourself procrastinating  

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and struggling to focus. Instead of forcing 
yourself to work through sheer willpower,  

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Taoism would advise you to start by observing your 
natural inclinations and the flow of your energy  

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throughout the day. If you notice that you feel 
most alert and focused in the morning, prioritize  

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important tasks during this time. Instead of 
forcing yourself to work on tasks you dislike,  

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taoism would advise you to choose projects that 
align with your interests and strengths. By  

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following your natural inclinations and working in 
harmony with your energy levels, you’ll find that  

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completing tasks feels less like a struggle and 
more like a natural expression of your abilities.

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Following Wu Wei over time, you’ll build a habit 
of working in alignment with the natural flow of  

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your energy and interests. You’ll no longer need 
to rely on strict discipline or willpower to  

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complete tasks; and instead, you’ll effortlessly 
take action in alignment with yourself.

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2. Surrender to the flow of your Life 

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In the words of Lao Tzu “Those who flow as 
life flows know they need no other force.”

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Imagine you're a leaf floating down a calm 
river. In Taoism, being disciplined means  

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going with the flow of life, just like that 
leaf. You don't fight against the current;  

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instead, you relax and let it guide you. In our 
modern world, we navigate through the various  

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tributaries of life – relationships, career, 
ambitions, and dreams. Often, we cling fervently  

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to specific outcomes, believing that our happiness 
hinges upon achieving these predetermined goals.  

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But when we focus too much on those things, 
it can make us feel upset, worried, and like  

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we're not connected to life's natural flow.
In Taoism, self-discipline shows up as the  

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skill of letting go of our stronghold on 
both what we expect to happen, and what we  

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want the result to be. It's about being okay 
with not knowing what will happen. Just as  

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the leaf surrenders to the river's direction, 
self-discipline in Taoism is about releasing  

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our strong attachments and building a deeper 
trust in the natural wisdom of the universe.

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For example, imagine yourself working tirelessly 
for a promotion. You invest countless hours and  

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energy into this pursuit, convinced that 
your worth and validation lie in achieving  

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this promotion. However, despite your relentless 
efforts, external factors beyond your control may  

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thwart your ambitions – perhaps organizational 
restructuring or unforeseen challenges arise.  

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When things don't go as planned, Taoism encourages 
us to see things differently. Instead of fighting  

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against what's happening or feeling bad about 
what went wrong, you learn to go along with  

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the ups and downs of life. You understand that 
even if things didn't turn out how you wanted,  

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every experience helps you grow and learn.
When you stop holding onto specific outcomes,  

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you feel more free and accepting. You start 
noticing the small changes in life, realizing  

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that true happiness doesn't come from controlling 
everything outside, but from finding peace within  

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yourself and going with the flow of life – that's 
what Taoism is all about. Taoist self-discipline  

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isn't about giving up or just being okay with 
whatever happens. It's about actively being  

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humble, flexible, and letting go. It's a journey 
where you discover more about yourself and how  

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to deal with life's challenges gracefully, 
flowing smoothly with whatever comes your way.

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3. Maintain a balance
To quote Lao Tzu “Myriad things,  

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backed by yin and embracing yang; Achieve 
harmony by integrating their energy.” 

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In Taoism, balance is a fundamental concept 
that relates to the harmonious interplay of  

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complementary forces in the universe. This balance 
is often represented by the concept of Yin and  

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Yang, which are two opposing yet interconnected 
forces. Yin and Yang represent the dualistic  

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nature of existence. Yin being associated with 
qualities such as darkness, passivity, femininity,  

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and coldness, while Yang is associated with 
light, activity, masculinity, and warmth. However,  

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within Yin lies Yang, and within Yang lies 
Yin, signifying the interconnectedness and  

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interdependence of these forces. Taoism emphasizes 
observing nature as a model for understanding  

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balance. In nature, there is a constant interplay 
between opposing forces such as day and night,  

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growth and decay, and expansion and contraction.
In Taoism, living in balance isn’t just a  

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philosophical concept but a practical tool for 
achieving self-discipline. Just like the world  

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around us, we’re constantly dealing with opposing 
forces within ourselves. But by acknowledging and  

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embracing this dual nature, we can develop 
self-discipline by finding our balance.

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Lets try and understand this with an example 
of the use of technology. Technology, with  

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its myriad benefits and distractions, embodies 
both Yin and Yang qualities. On the one hand,  

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it offers connectivity, efficiency, and 
access to vast amounts of information,  

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all the Yang qualities. On the other, 
it can lead to distraction, addiction,  

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and disconnection from the present moment - all of 
the Yin qualities. To maintain self-discipline in  

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the use of technology, we must strike a balance 
between its positive and negative aspects.

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For instance, if you are looking to enhance 
your productivity, you may utilize technology  

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to streamline your workflow and stay organized. 
However, you may also be mindful of the potential  

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distractions posed by social media, gaming, 
or mindless browsing. By setting boundaries,  

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such as designated times for work and 
leisure, and staying focused, you can  

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navigate the dualities of technology with balance.
This concept of Yin and Yang can be applied to  

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achieving the discipline of balance in all aspects 
of life. Let's imagine that you’ve set yourself  

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some fitness goals that you’d like to achieve. 
Here, the Yang aspect would represent the active  

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pursuit of your fitness goals through exercise and 
movement. This includes activities like going to  

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the gym, jogging, cycling, or participating 
in sports. Yang energy is about motivation,  

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dedication, and pushing yourself to improve. On 
the other hand, the Yin aspect here represents  

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rest days or times when you're not actively 
exercising. Rest is essential for recovery,  

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allowing your body to heal and build stronger 
muscles after workouts. It's also about being  

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patient with yourself and recognizing that 
progress takes time. To stay committed to  

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your fitness goals, it's crucial to find a 
balance between these Yin and Yang aspects.

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You can create a workout plan that includes 
both intense workout sessions and rest days.  

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On active days, you push yourself 
to complete challenging workouts,  

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staying motivated by tracking your progress and 
setting achievable milestones. However, you also  

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recognize the importance of rest and recovery to 
prevent burnout and injury. This balance allows  

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you to stay consistent with your exercise routine 
while also taking care of your body's needs for  

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rest and recovery. In this way, balance serves 
as a guiding principle for self-discipline.

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Finding balance also requires adopting a 
moderate lifestyle. Taoism believes that  

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everything in life is connected, and thus 
allowing ourselves to focus on our desires  

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of wanting more and more causes imbalance and 
will adversely affect our deepest selves and  

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everyone around us. Conversely, adopting 
a moderate lifestyle breeds simplicity.  

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Simplicity is all about knowing exactly what you 
want, and critically, what you don’t want. When  

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we practice the discipline of moderation with 
respect to our desires, thoughts and actions,  

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we recognize that our needs are few, and we 
can relax and flow in the present moment.

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4. Overcome Your Own Demons
In our final quote from Lao Tzu  

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for this video, he says “He who overcomes others 
has force, he who overcomes himself is strong.”

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In the bustling world we live in, we often 
equate strength with power – power over others,  

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power to outcompete, to outshine. We measure 
our worth by our ability to compete, to conquer,  

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and to rise above in the eyes of society. 
But does this idea of strength really show  

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how strong we are inside and what we are 
capable of? While dominating others may  

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appear to demonstrate strength, it often 
masks our insecurities and shortcomings.

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According to Taoism, true strength lies not 
in our external conquest, but in the mastery  

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of oneself. It's about being in control over 
our own impulses, desires, and weaknesses. 

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In our enterprising voyage of self-discovery, 
we encounter what Taoism refers to as “demons."  

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These demons refer to our internal struggles and 
conflicts that we all face within ourselves. They  

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manifest in many forms – from the fear of failure, 
to negative emotions like anger, jealousy,  

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and self-doubt, to harmful thoughts and behaviors 
like procrastination or self-sabotage. These  

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demons hinder our progress and make it difficult 
for us to be the best version of ourselves.

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However, according to Taoism, recognizing these 
demons is the first step towards conquering them.  

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Self-awareness is key. For example, imagine 
yourself as someone who struggles with anger  

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issues. You often find yourself getting easily 
frustrated or losing your temper in various  

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situations, which can strain relationships 
and lead to regrettable actions or words. 

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According to Taoism, acknowledging your anger 
as an inner demon is the initial step towards  

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overcoming it. You can begin to reflect on the 
situations or triggers that provoke your anger,  

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as well as the underlying emotions or insecurities 
fueling it. Through this self-awareness,  

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you come to understand that your anger is a 
response to feeling out of control or threatened. 

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With this realization, you can then take 
proactive steps to address your anger. This  

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might involve practicing relaxation techniques 
such as deep breathing or meditation to manage  

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your emotions in the moment. You may also 
explore healthier ways to express yourself,  

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such as assertive communication or seeking 
constructive outlets for your frustrations,  

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like physical exercise or creative pursuits. 
Over time, as you consistently acknowledge  

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and confront your anger, you gradually gain 
greater control over it. You learn to respond  

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to challenging situations with patience and 
understanding, rather than reacting impulsively  

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out of anger. Ultimately, by recognizing and 
actively working to overcome your inner demon  

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of anger, you can cultivate greater emotional 
resilience and live in harmony with others.

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Practices like meditation, qigong, and tai chi can 
help us deal with our demons. When we meditate,  

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we learn to calm our minds and see our 
thoughts more clearly. Qigong helps balance  

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our energy and makes us feel stronger. Tai 
chi teaches us to move smoothly and calmly,  

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which can make us feel more peaceful inside,  

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and by practicing these skills regularly, 
we get better at controlling our demons.

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If you enjoyed this video, please make 
sure to check out our full philosophies  

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