1 00:00:00,220 --> 00:00:04,680 This video is sponsored by masterworks. 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:09,270 Masterworks is a platform for investing in multimillion-dollar fine art by names like 3 00:00:09,270 --> 00:00:11,700 Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso. 4 00:00:11,700 --> 00:00:16,529 We will talk about Masterworks at the end of the video and for now let's get on with 5 00:00:16,529 --> 00:00:20,970 how to simplify your life from the philosophy of Lao Tzu. 6 00:00:20,970 --> 00:00:28,789 Lao Tzu, literally translated as old master, is a Chinese legendary and historical figure 7 00:00:28,789 --> 00:00:32,570 who is considered to be the founder of Taoism. 8 00:00:32,570 --> 00:00:38,520 Taoism is a philosophy which preaches that the secret to a simple life is not force, 9 00:00:38,520 --> 00:00:45,670 fret or struggle to control and manipulate reality, but to relax, smile, and go with 10 00:00:45,670 --> 00:00:50,330 the flow, allowing things to unfold naturally. 11 00:00:50,330 --> 00:00:53,950 At the core of Taoism is the concept of the Tao. 12 00:00:53,950 --> 00:01:01,260 The word “Tao” is defined as a path or way that if followed, leads to a life of simplicity 13 00:01:01,260 --> 00:01:02,720 and harmony. 14 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:09,960 Taoists believe that the tao is the driving engine of creation - both the source and essence 15 00:01:09,960 --> 00:01:12,170 of all things. 16 00:01:12,170 --> 00:01:17,820 It encourages us to be in touch with our inner selves, for it is when you know who you really 17 00:01:17,820 --> 00:01:24,350 are that you become one with nature, doing things in a natural way with no unnecessary 18 00:01:24,350 --> 00:01:29,159 complications - thus achieving the truest simplicity in life. 19 00:01:29,159 --> 00:01:37,080 Lao Tzu is also credited as the writer of Taoism’s most sacred text, the Tao Te Ching. 20 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:42,700 It is packed with his remarkable wisdom and messages of peace, resilience, and living 21 00:01:42,700 --> 00:01:46,320 cohesively that reminds us what really matters in life. 22 00:01:46,320 --> 00:01:52,090 He is a central figure in Chinese culture, but his words can apply to people all over 23 00:01:52,090 --> 00:01:58,250 the world which is why in this video we bring you 4 ways to simplify your life from the 24 00:01:58,250 --> 00:02:03,250 wisdom of Lao Tzu. 25 00:02:03,250 --> 00:02:06,750 Cultivate the three treasures of Taoism 26 00:02:06,750 --> 00:02:12,860 Lao Tzu says “Simplicity, patience, compassion. 27 00:02:12,860 --> 00:02:15,920 These three are your greatest treasures.” 28 00:02:15,920 --> 00:02:23,870 Lao Tzu outlines what he calls the three treasures - three values, or qualities of mind, that 29 00:02:23,870 --> 00:02:29,600 are key to living a simple life of virtue, integrity and living in natural harmony with 30 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:31,010 the Tao. 31 00:02:31,010 --> 00:02:36,069 These three treasures are compassion, moderation and humility. 32 00:02:36,069 --> 00:02:43,120 As simple as it sounds, cultivating all the three jewels does not come easy. 33 00:02:43,120 --> 00:02:49,390 The first of the Three Treasures is Compassion, which also means love or kindness, and is 34 00:02:49,390 --> 00:02:52,580 one of the most prominent beliefs in Taoism. 35 00:02:52,580 --> 00:02:59,110 It is selfless love for all others which includes giving others happiness as well as removing 36 00:02:59,110 --> 00:03:00,580 their suffering. 37 00:03:00,580 --> 00:03:06,470 Most people have love and compassion that is very conditional in nature and the transaction 38 00:03:06,470 --> 00:03:12,031 goes something like this - “If you behave the way I like, I will treat you well; if 39 00:03:12,031 --> 00:03:15,000 you don't, then I won't treat you well”. 40 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:20,690 When you put such conditions in place, you feed off judgment, greed, competition and 41 00:03:20,690 --> 00:03:22,770 negative comparison. 42 00:03:22,770 --> 00:03:28,040 When this happens, compassion goes out the window and we become disconnected and alienated 43 00:03:28,040 --> 00:03:34,700 from our fellow man, which almost inevitably leads to isolation, conflict, and potential 44 00:03:34,700 --> 00:03:36,540 disaster. 45 00:03:36,540 --> 00:03:44,550 The compassion called for by Taoists is impartial, expects nothing in return, and is not possessive. 46 00:03:44,550 --> 00:03:49,660 People who only have conditional love are selfish, and they tend to have frequent conflicts 47 00:03:49,660 --> 00:03:51,440 with others. 48 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:56,440 One can practice compassion in many ways, starting from the simplest day-to-day activities. 49 00:03:56,440 --> 00:04:02,200 It could be as simple as remembering to smile and say hi to your colleagues after entering 50 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:07,690 your workplace, or holding the door open for the person behind us, etc. 51 00:04:07,690 --> 00:04:11,959 Every morning thinking about how we can help the people around us, how you can practice 52 00:04:11,959 --> 00:04:15,990 compassion by your speech, actions and thoughts, without any expectations. 53 00:04:15,990 --> 00:04:23,280 If we are more compassionate, we find more happiness and less conflict in life. 54 00:04:23,280 --> 00:04:27,300 The second jewel of Taoism is moderation. 55 00:04:27,300 --> 00:04:31,639 Taoism believes that everything in life is connected, and thus allowing ourselves to 56 00:04:31,639 --> 00:04:38,060 focus on our fear and greed causes imbalance and will adversely affect our deepest selves 57 00:04:38,060 --> 00:04:41,020 and everyone around us. 58 00:04:41,020 --> 00:04:45,530 When we want something expensive, we tend to get stressed and work harder than we normally 59 00:04:45,530 --> 00:04:47,520 do to attain it. 60 00:04:47,520 --> 00:04:52,380 After we attain that thing, we then need to work even harder to maintain it or the lifestyle 61 00:04:52,380 --> 00:04:57,360 it allows, and then we become stressed about losing that, too! 62 00:04:57,360 --> 00:05:03,060 On the other hand, adopting a moderate lifestyle breeds simplicity. 63 00:05:03,060 --> 00:05:08,590 Simplicity is all about knowing exactly what you want, and critically, what you don’t 64 00:05:08,590 --> 00:05:09,590 want. 65 00:05:09,590 --> 00:05:17,449 When we live in moderation, when we recognize our needs are few, we can relax and be present. 66 00:05:17,449 --> 00:05:23,400 The best way to practice a moderate lifestyle is by being more mindful of how much we spend 67 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:25,510 and how many resources we use. 68 00:05:25,510 --> 00:05:30,300 Once we have an estimate, we can then find ways to be more frugal. 69 00:05:30,300 --> 00:05:34,830 It could then mean doing the simplest things like not wasting your food or not throwing 70 00:05:34,830 --> 00:05:40,780 away unused clothes but instead donating or recycling them, by not leaving the tap running 71 00:05:40,780 --> 00:05:45,400 while brushing your teeth or cleaning your car with a bucket of hot, soapy water instead 72 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:47,860 of driving to the car wash. 73 00:05:47,860 --> 00:05:52,600 People who live in moderation tend to use little for themselves but are happy to spend 74 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:55,490 lots on others. 75 00:05:55,490 --> 00:05:58,780 Humility is the third jewel of Taoism. 76 00:05:58,780 --> 00:06:04,990 In Chinese, this jewel of humility is translated as "dare not be first”. 77 00:06:04,990 --> 00:06:10,009 Not concerning oneself with being the first to do something is the Taoist way to avoid 78 00:06:10,009 --> 00:06:12,080 premature death. 79 00:06:12,080 --> 00:06:18,190 Competing will not only shorten your life but often requires too much risk and energy 80 00:06:18,190 --> 00:06:24,550 which will only increase unrelenting stubbornness, which in turn can create conflict and even 81 00:06:24,550 --> 00:06:26,810 ruin relationships. 82 00:06:26,810 --> 00:06:32,419 On the other hand, when we yield, meaning when we let go of what we want and let others 83 00:06:32,419 --> 00:06:38,710 have what they want enables us to choose a content and quiet life over a competitive 84 00:06:38,710 --> 00:06:40,630 and difficult one. 85 00:06:40,630 --> 00:06:45,900 So a humble person is a person who is happy to yield to others. 86 00:06:45,900 --> 00:06:50,840 A yielding person will not only give more to others and take less for themselves, but 87 00:06:50,840 --> 00:06:54,600 will also never show off or step on others. 88 00:06:54,600 --> 00:06:57,990 Instead, they praise others' goodness to raise them up. 89 00:06:57,990 --> 00:07:01,720 They are not interested in fighting for the top spot. 90 00:07:01,720 --> 00:07:05,840 If there is someone else who is more worthy of the position, they would happily yield 91 00:07:05,840 --> 00:07:06,840 to them. 92 00:07:06,840 --> 00:07:11,510 They care about benefiting all things without conflict. 93 00:07:11,510 --> 00:07:18,290 These three invaluable treasures - Compassion, Moderation and humility are gifts from Lao 94 00:07:18,290 --> 00:07:25,120 Tzu and when we cultivate each of the jewels, we will not only bring simplicity, happiness, 95 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:32,319 love, and success into our life but we also bring peace and prosperity to the world. 96 00:07:32,319 --> 00:07:33,840 2. 97 00:07:33,840 --> 00:07:35,889 Go with the flow 98 00:07:35,889 --> 00:07:43,100 According to Lao Tzu, “When nothing is done, nothing is left undone.” 99 00:07:43,100 --> 00:07:48,650 One of the most important aspects of Taoism is the idea of 'going with the flow.' 100 00:07:48,650 --> 00:07:54,820 This teaching is best explained with the concept of wu wei, which can be translated to ‘inexertion’, 101 00:07:54,820 --> 00:07:58,650 ‘inaction’, or ‘effortless action.’ 102 00:07:58,650 --> 00:08:05,639 A more accurate translation, though, might be ‘non-forcing’ - for wu wei urges you 103 00:08:05,639 --> 00:08:11,099 not to fight against our life-conditions and instead allow things to happen as they naturally 104 00:08:11,099 --> 00:08:12,300 would. 105 00:08:12,300 --> 00:08:14,729 Imagine life as a river. 106 00:08:14,729 --> 00:08:19,169 When you do nothing, the current of the river will effortlessly take you along, moving you 107 00:08:19,169 --> 00:08:22,370 forward without you breaking a sweat. 108 00:08:22,370 --> 00:08:27,669 Doing nothing does not result in being stuck in one place - instead, the river takes you 109 00:08:27,669 --> 00:08:30,770 along to new places and situations. 110 00:08:30,770 --> 00:08:35,619 This is an effortless way of living life, and the way by which you can enjoy the ride 111 00:08:35,619 --> 00:08:37,000 the most. 112 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:41,860 If you give in to impatience and try to swim with the current to get there faster, you 113 00:08:41,860 --> 00:08:45,570 will only waste more energy reaching what you would have reached anyway. 114 00:08:45,570 --> 00:08:51,290 Or, worse, if you fight against the path of life and swim against the current, it might 115 00:08:51,290 --> 00:08:57,569 well take all your energy only to lead to limited and disappointing results. 116 00:08:57,569 --> 00:09:03,209 The concept of wu wei, then, urges you to simply go with the flow of the river. 117 00:09:03,209 --> 00:09:07,850 In our current day and age, we want a lot of things and more often than not we want 118 00:09:07,850 --> 00:09:10,790 them to happen right now. 119 00:09:10,790 --> 00:09:16,459 The most encouraged and thus most common mindset when it comes to life stresses on working 120 00:09:16,459 --> 00:09:23,290 hard and taking action, no matter how difficult life is, to get where you need to be. 121 00:09:23,290 --> 00:09:28,399 When following this advice it is no wonder that we wear ourselves out, risk burnouts 122 00:09:28,399 --> 00:09:34,050 and exhaustion, and have a tendency to rush things to get them to the finish line. 123 00:09:34,050 --> 00:09:39,130 When we rush through projects and force ourselves to work on them through setbacks and hardships, 124 00:09:39,130 --> 00:09:42,290 they rarely turn out as good as we want them to. 125 00:09:42,290 --> 00:09:47,819 Plus we are so often focused on getting through our tasks, we often deny ourselves the rest 126 00:09:47,819 --> 00:09:51,360 in those times we need to keep going afterwards. 127 00:09:51,360 --> 00:09:56,131 When we try to meet every deadline imposed on us regardless of our circumstances, it 128 00:09:56,131 --> 00:10:01,430 eats away at both our wellbeing and the quality of our work. 129 00:10:01,430 --> 00:10:06,420 Additionally, when we are encouraged to push through unfavorable circumstances, we are 130 00:10:06,420 --> 00:10:10,629 at increased risk of making errors and compromising quality. 131 00:10:10,629 --> 00:10:16,249 It is clear that pushing yourself to work irrespective of the circumstances is one of 132 00:10:16,249 --> 00:10:22,839 the hardest and most exhausting ways to live and often brings limited results. 133 00:10:22,839 --> 00:10:28,389 Taoism instead suggests that we give up this rush and surrender ourselves to the natural 134 00:10:28,389 --> 00:10:30,709 flow of life, the Tao. 135 00:10:30,709 --> 00:10:36,069 Now, this does not mean that we refuse to work or sit back lazily and never do anything. 136 00:10:36,069 --> 00:10:41,139 Indeed, understanding wu wei as ‘laziness’ would be a gross misinterpretation. 137 00:10:41,139 --> 00:10:47,980 Wu Wei does encourage you to take action, but to do so only when it will be effortless 138 00:10:47,980 --> 00:10:49,430 rather than forceful. 139 00:10:49,430 --> 00:10:56,679 Wu Wei encourages you to turn away unfavorable life circumstances, and encourages you to 140 00:10:56,679 --> 00:11:00,360 embrace favorable ones, whenever they may come. 141 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:05,220 If the opportunity for a project, like a job offer in a new city, arises, and you feel 142 00:11:05,220 --> 00:11:09,160 calm, prepared and even excited - Go for it! 143 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:11,639 Imagine yourself in this position. 144 00:11:11,639 --> 00:11:16,319 If the prospect of a new job does not stress you out and the move to a new city is a welcome 145 00:11:16,319 --> 00:11:20,860 change, then you would be acting without effort if you took it. 146 00:11:20,860 --> 00:11:25,370 Opportunities such as the job offer, that makes you feel calm, prepared and even excited 147 00:11:25,370 --> 00:11:28,439 are the kind of actions you want to embrace. 148 00:11:28,439 --> 00:11:33,929 Those are the kinds of actions that will breathe life into you instead of sucking it out of 149 00:11:33,929 --> 00:11:35,059 you. 150 00:11:35,059 --> 00:11:39,959 By taking action at the point in your life where it will be the most impactful and efficient, 151 00:11:39,959 --> 00:11:44,850 you truly ‘become’ an act instead of merely ‘doing’ it. 152 00:11:44,850 --> 00:11:51,079 In other words, at the right time an action can take hold in the most meaningful and defining 153 00:11:51,079 --> 00:11:52,470 way. 154 00:11:52,470 --> 00:11:56,759 On the other hand, when an opportunity or obligation feels too stressful for you to 155 00:11:56,759 --> 00:11:59,869 keep up with, take a step back. 156 00:11:59,869 --> 00:12:04,989 For example, when a promotion at work comes up at a time where you feel unable to handle 157 00:12:04,989 --> 00:12:08,319 the extra responsibilities, deny it. 158 00:12:08,319 --> 00:12:10,129 Take a step back. 159 00:12:10,129 --> 00:12:14,989 When you do not know what to do, just keep doing what you already are doing. 160 00:12:14,989 --> 00:12:19,549 New opportunities will come when life presents you with a chance that you believe will be 161 00:12:19,549 --> 00:12:22,720 good and fulfilling for you to take on. 162 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:26,609 When you are unsure of what you want when it comes to work, just keep working where 163 00:12:26,609 --> 00:12:30,970 you are and your feelings will figure themselves out in time. 164 00:12:30,970 --> 00:12:35,489 And when life presents an opportunity to you, like a promotion or job offer, that makes 165 00:12:35,489 --> 00:12:40,559 you feel good and excited and feels right - take it! 166 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:45,699 When we learn how to embrace the concept of wu wei and learn how to go with the flow, 167 00:12:45,699 --> 00:12:49,350 we reach achievements in the simplest way possible. 168 00:12:49,350 --> 00:12:55,980 To simplify your life, don’t force action, let action come to you. 169 00:12:55,980 --> 00:13:03,799 By flowing along the river you will get where you eventually need to be, just without the 170 00:13:03,799 --> 00:13:04,799 struggle. 171 00:13:04,799 --> 00:13:05,799 3. 172 00:13:05,799 --> 00:13:06,799 Let go 173 00:13:06,799 --> 00:13:13,149 In the words of Lao Tzu "If you realize that all things change, there is nothing you will 174 00:13:13,149 --> 00:13:14,649 try to hold on to. 175 00:13:14,649 --> 00:13:19,600 If you are not afraid of dying, there is nothing you cannot achieve.” 176 00:13:19,600 --> 00:13:27,589 Taoism teaches us that nothing in life is constant, permanent or forever. 177 00:13:27,589 --> 00:13:32,420 When the caterpillar learns to get rid of how it is used to living, it can transform 178 00:13:32,420 --> 00:13:34,529 into a butterfly. 179 00:13:34,529 --> 00:13:39,790 Just like the caterpillar, humans are in a constant state of change, and so is everything 180 00:13:39,790 --> 00:13:41,529 around us. 181 00:13:41,529 --> 00:13:47,309 To keep life simple, Taoism tells us to embrace change and impermanence by learning to let 182 00:13:47,309 --> 00:13:49,329 go. 183 00:13:49,329 --> 00:13:52,369 Change and impermanence generally scares us. 184 00:13:52,369 --> 00:13:57,019 We spend most of our time trying to avoid having to face change and we tend to want 185 00:13:57,019 --> 00:14:00,679 the things we enjoy to last as long as possible. 186 00:14:00,679 --> 00:14:06,169 When life, then, inevitably does not work out the way we want it to, we feel powerless. 187 00:14:06,169 --> 00:14:11,629 In order to ignore this feeling, we tend to focus only on what we think we can control. 188 00:14:11,629 --> 00:14:16,240 This often results in clinging onto those things that we pretend to control, like a 189 00:14:16,240 --> 00:14:22,259 job that's making you miserable or holding on to a fading relationship and so on. 190 00:14:22,259 --> 00:14:26,980 We are incredibly attached to life and its temporary circumstances, to the point where 191 00:14:26,980 --> 00:14:31,499 we do not even acknowledge the fact anything could be different in the future. 192 00:14:31,499 --> 00:14:36,669 This attachment results in a lot more difficulty and pain in life, for when the inevitable 193 00:14:36,669 --> 00:14:43,490 change or even, end of something does come, we are entirely unprepared to deal with it. 194 00:14:43,490 --> 00:14:47,829 For example, Imagine you are in an unhealthy relationship. 195 00:14:47,829 --> 00:14:52,959 You fully realize that you do not enjoy living and spending time together any longer - but 196 00:14:52,959 --> 00:14:56,970 you have been together for so long, you barely know how to be alone. 197 00:14:56,970 --> 00:15:01,440 The possibility of having to find a new place to live and figuring out how to manage by 198 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:06,749 yourself is daunting enough for you to try and deny your feelings instead. 199 00:15:06,749 --> 00:15:11,970 You look for any sign that love is still there and refuse to let go of a relationship that 200 00:15:11,970 --> 00:15:14,959 you know in truth is already long over. 201 00:15:14,959 --> 00:15:19,499 Thus, when the time inevitably comes when your partner ends up breaking up with you 202 00:15:19,499 --> 00:15:22,609 first, you will feel more unprepared than ever. 203 00:15:22,609 --> 00:15:28,569 Because of the fact that we are afraid of change despite its inevitability, we tend 204 00:15:28,569 --> 00:15:31,899 to deny it instead of embrace it. 205 00:15:31,899 --> 00:15:37,499 And when the change comes, it leaves us feeling caught off guard, distressed and sometimes 206 00:15:37,499 --> 00:15:39,579 even hopeless. 207 00:15:39,579 --> 00:15:45,019 Not only that, those negative feelings often distract us from any new opportunities that 208 00:15:45,019 --> 00:15:46,119 might arise. 209 00:15:46,119 --> 00:15:49,720 But change needn't feel like a punishment. 210 00:15:49,720 --> 00:15:55,209 Instead, letting go and embracing the change might be the answer to many of our problems 211 00:15:55,209 --> 00:15:58,729 and leave us freer than we could ever imagine. 212 00:15:58,729 --> 00:16:02,169 Every change or end comes with a new beginning. 213 00:16:02,169 --> 00:16:08,449 Those who have not mastered the art of letting go, tend to be preoccupied with the doors 214 00:16:08,449 --> 00:16:14,220 that have already closed, trying to pry them open again, to walk back through them… and 215 00:16:14,220 --> 00:16:17,160 getting nowhere as a result. 216 00:16:17,160 --> 00:16:21,809 This refusal to let things go and move on is like swimming against the current of a 217 00:16:21,809 --> 00:16:25,369 river instead of accepting where it will take us. 218 00:16:25,369 --> 00:16:30,769 To let go, on the other hand is going with the flow, it means to be able to accept the 219 00:16:30,769 --> 00:16:35,169 closing of doors and look forward to new, open ones. 220 00:16:35,169 --> 00:16:40,499 Like how after a relationship is over, you can look forward to having more spare time, 221 00:16:40,499 --> 00:16:46,709 more individuality, a newfound focus on personal life goals, and eventually a possibility of 222 00:16:46,709 --> 00:16:50,129 a new, better relationship. 223 00:16:50,129 --> 00:16:55,160 Letting go means to embrace the freedom that changes and ends might bring you, and look 224 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:59,089 for new opportunities whenever you can. 225 00:16:59,089 --> 00:17:03,649 Letting go is the gateway to living our most harmonious and simplest life possible. 226 00:17:03,649 --> 00:17:09,949 To live our life in the easiest, happiest and most free way we can, we have to acknowledge 227 00:17:09,949 --> 00:17:13,909 that change and death are the only constants in life. 228 00:17:13,909 --> 00:17:19,029 We need to avoid forming unhealthy attachments to our desires and learn how to appreciate 229 00:17:19,029 --> 00:17:23,699 what we have in our present moment without clinging onto the idea that it is going to 230 00:17:23,699 --> 00:17:26,480 be there forever. 231 00:17:26,480 --> 00:17:27,709 4. 232 00:17:27,709 --> 00:17:29,830 Find your balance 233 00:17:29,830 --> 00:17:38,940 In our final quote from Lao Tzu for this video, he says “Tao engenders One; One engenders 234 00:17:38,940 --> 00:17:46,740 Two; Two engenders Three; Three engenders all things. 235 00:17:46,740 --> 00:17:50,990 All things carry the yin while embracing the yang. 236 00:17:50,990 --> 00:17:55,860 Neutralizing energy brings them into harmony.” 237 00:17:55,860 --> 00:18:01,880 One of the most important concepts within Taoism is the concept of yin and yang. 238 00:18:01,880 --> 00:18:05,850 Yin and yang stand for two opposing forces. 239 00:18:05,850 --> 00:18:11,840 Yin represents a negative or passive force, also seen as the feminine force, and yang 240 00:18:11,840 --> 00:18:17,850 represents a positive, active force, also seen as the masculine force. 241 00:18:17,850 --> 00:18:23,510 The symbol of yin and yang represents yin as a dark, or black droplet, and yang as a 242 00:18:23,510 --> 00:18:25,080 white droplet. 243 00:18:25,080 --> 00:18:28,820 Together, they make the circle perfectly whole. 244 00:18:28,820 --> 00:18:35,150 Their balance as seen in the symbol is perfectly harmonious, with just as much yin as there 245 00:18:35,150 --> 00:18:36,659 is yang. 246 00:18:36,659 --> 00:18:39,740 Neither one is superior to the other. 247 00:18:39,740 --> 00:18:45,290 These forces can be found everywhere and in everything, as everything in nature tends 248 00:18:45,290 --> 00:18:48,470 to be a bit of both in order to thrive. 249 00:18:48,470 --> 00:18:55,269 Think of day and night, wet and dry, cold and warm, dead and alive, et cetera. 250 00:18:55,269 --> 00:19:00,539 All things need their opposite in order to exist, and all things have aspects of both 251 00:19:00,539 --> 00:19:05,899 yin and yang, with nothing being inherently one or the other. 252 00:19:05,899 --> 00:19:11,470 Yin and yang changes with time; as one of the forces increases, the other decreases 253 00:19:11,470 --> 00:19:14,240 - and vice versa. 254 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:19,240 As nature is a constant balance of opposites, so are you. 255 00:19:19,240 --> 00:19:24,740 Sometimes, we use one side of our personality to excess, at the expense of the other. 256 00:19:24,740 --> 00:19:33,299 This makes life unnecessarily hard and tiresome; the easiest lives consist of balance and harmony. 257 00:19:33,299 --> 00:19:39,009 We are used to perceiving opposites as one being 'good' and the other being 'bad' - such 258 00:19:39,009 --> 00:19:43,420 as preferring light over dark or active over passive. 259 00:19:43,420 --> 00:19:48,730 As a result of this view, we tend to try to lean towards one side, completely dismissing 260 00:19:48,730 --> 00:19:50,120 the other. 261 00:19:50,120 --> 00:19:55,900 Someone who is very passive and never dares to act may get stuck in unfavorable situations, 262 00:19:55,900 --> 00:20:01,480 while someone who is very active may rush into equally unfavorable situations. 263 00:20:01,480 --> 00:20:07,659 Both need to lean into their opposite side more in order to reach a harmonious balance. 264 00:20:07,659 --> 00:20:12,490 We have to realize that neither force of an opposition is inherently worse than the other, 265 00:20:12,490 --> 00:20:15,759 and we need to learn to embrace both. 266 00:20:15,759 --> 00:20:20,690 For example, someone who is too kind may get taken advantage of and so needs to learn how 267 00:20:20,690 --> 00:20:25,990 to become more assertive, however someone who is too aggressive will put people off, 268 00:20:25,990 --> 00:20:28,259 leading to the same result. 269 00:20:28,259 --> 00:20:34,120 Just as light shines brightest after darkness, so can your best traits only excel if you 270 00:20:34,120 --> 00:20:39,310 also are able to display the opposite when the right situation calls for it. 271 00:20:39,310 --> 00:20:44,490 And thus, yin and yang represents finding a balance within yourself that grants you 272 00:20:44,490 --> 00:20:47,169 the best of both worlds. 273 00:20:47,169 --> 00:20:50,620 Finding balance goes for more than just character traits. 274 00:20:50,620 --> 00:20:55,690 You cannot live a physically active lifestyle without taking enough rest. 275 00:20:55,690 --> 00:21:01,240 Everything in your body is interdependent; when your mind is being uncared for it performs 276 00:21:01,240 --> 00:21:04,640 badly, and in turn, so will your body, and vice versa. 277 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:10,870 Thus, a healthy mindset is as important for your physical health as a good diet, and the 278 00:21:10,870 --> 00:21:14,990 same can be said in reverse for your mental health. 279 00:21:14,990 --> 00:21:19,510 Finding balance means examining your physical health when you are currently focused on improving 280 00:21:19,510 --> 00:21:22,700 your mental health and vice versa. 281 00:21:22,700 --> 00:21:29,350 In order to live a simple and happy life, let your yin and yang truly compliment each 282 00:21:29,350 --> 00:21:30,350 other. 283 00:21:30,350 --> 00:21:37,039 Be in complete harmony with yourself and the world. 284 00:21:37,039 --> 00:21:41,679 As we mentioned at the beginning this video is brought to you by Masterworks. 285 00:21:41,679 --> 00:21:48,860 For most people in modern society, the biggest barrier to a harmonious life is money. 286 00:21:48,860 --> 00:21:54,779 It’s easy to say you’re going to go with the flow, until it impacts your basic needs, 287 00:21:54,779 --> 00:21:58,029 which having no money is guaranteed to do. 288 00:21:58,029 --> 00:22:03,950 So, ideally we would have our money working for us, so we can focus our energy on higher 289 00:22:03,950 --> 00:22:04,950 pursuits. 290 00:22:04,950 --> 00:22:09,650 But in 2022, that’s easier said than done. 291 00:22:09,650 --> 00:22:14,120 Most ways of passively growing your money, like investing in the stock market, have been 292 00:22:14,120 --> 00:22:16,210 suffering this year. 293 00:22:16,210 --> 00:22:20,710 But with inflation basically taking money out of your bank account, It’s daunting 294 00:22:20,710 --> 00:22:22,470 to sit around and do nothing. 295 00:22:22,470 --> 00:22:26,570 That’s why we’re excited to tell you about Masterworks. 296 00:22:26,570 --> 00:22:33,040 It’s a unique platform that lets you invest in contemporary art by legends like Picasso 297 00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:37,500 and Banksy, but for a fraction of the full price. 298 00:22:37,500 --> 00:22:43,169 According to CitiBank, art has a very low correlation to other investments like stocks, 299 00:22:43,169 --> 00:22:47,420 So when they dip, your art investments may not. 300 00:22:47,420 --> 00:22:51,690 And if inflation has you worried, art is a compelling option. 301 00:22:51,690 --> 00:22:56,809 The last time inflation was this high, it appreciated more than gold and real estate, 302 00:22:56,809 --> 00:23:00,269 at an average of 33 percent per year. 303 00:23:00,269 --> 00:23:05,299 Since we are talking about investment, and if you are investing your money, your investments 304 00:23:05,299 --> 00:23:12,049 can fluctuate, they can go up and can go down, and we talking about this does not mean we 305 00:23:12,049 --> 00:23:14,159 are giving any financial advice. 306 00:23:14,159 --> 00:23:20,350 But, what masterworks is doing is really fascinating, and it’s also in their best interest to 307 00:23:20,350 --> 00:23:24,049 get the highest return from selling their art. 308 00:23:24,049 --> 00:23:28,399 Which is why, from the 6 paintings they’ve sold, Masterworks has delivered an average 309 00:23:28,399 --> 00:23:32,050 return of 29% to their investors. 310 00:23:32,050 --> 00:23:36,500 Including a sale just last month for 33% return. 311 00:23:36,500 --> 00:23:40,559 Most wealth managers and experts would tell you that you should not put all your eggs 312 00:23:40,559 --> 00:23:47,370 in one basket, meaning that you should diversify your portfolio, and investing in art is definitely 313 00:23:47,370 --> 00:23:49,220 an interesting way to do that. 314 00:23:49,220 --> 00:23:54,860 So if you are interested in Masterworks, and wish to gain priority access, click on the 315 00:23:54,860 --> 00:23:56,559 link in the description. 316 00:23:56,559 --> 00:24:00,950 And as always if you enjoyed this video, please make sure to check out our full philosophies for 317 00:24:00,950 --> 00:24:05,629 life playlist, and for more videos to help you find success and happiness using ancient 318 00:24:05,629 --> 00:24:09,299 philosophical wisdom, don’t forget to subscribe. 319 00:24:09,299 --> 00:24:11,170 Thanks so much for watching.