Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Don’t Worry Be Hopey by Ajahn Brahm

Despite a limited time I had during my vacation back at my hometown, I considered myself lucky having a chance to visit a local bookstore located nearby my house. I went inside looking for some interesting books around and the big poster outside the bookstore attracted me to pick that book. Yes, the title above was the book that I picked, together with his trilogy books – “Si Cacing dan Kotoran Kesayangannya.”

Don't Worry Be Hopey by Ajahn Brahm

As for my usual thought, “If you can’t find the ‘Master’ physically, get their ‘Teachings’ literally, and it will be the same.” And I’m glad I found them and chose that book to read as a starting point of the Goat year. Hope I can learn some knowledge and wisdom from it and apply it into my daily life :)

Just like his previous book, “Who Ordered This Truckload of Dung” that I read before, this book consists of short stories collections. Very easy to read and digest. “Don’t Worry Be Hopey” is written in Indonesian language. But don’t be disheartened as you can find this book in English version with a title of “Don't Worry, Be Grumpy: Inspiring Stories for Making the Most of Each Moment.” It’s more or less having the same content.

Source: Google.com

I quote one of the short stories here and hope Ajahn Brahm won’t mind if I share it with you:

Lower your expectationMan wants to have a beautiful wife. Woman wants to have a rich husband. Both of them should have lowered down their expectation in order to be happy. When a man marries with a beautiful girl, he will get jealous and feel uneasy for the rest of his life, worries that his beautiful wife will one day be stolen or attracted by other guys. If he chooses to marry an ugly woman, he doesn’t have to worry about anything like that. 

And if the woman marries with a rich husband, she too will worry for the rest of her life that her rich husband will have another affair with other women. If she marries with a poor husband, he won’t be able to afford the expenses of another woman, therefore, there is no need to worry about such thing and she can live peacefully. These are the examples where lower down your expectation makes your life easy and far more enjoyable and happier :) 

I think the above is right as I don’t marry neither rich nor handsome husband so I don’t have to worry about anything like that to happen in my life hahaha…. :P Instead, I got married with a man who has a handsome heart and a man who is willing to do anything for me with little things that he has ;)

Click here to get the feeling of the other stories inside the book and if you like it, buy one for yourself if you happen to find it in the book store at the country where you stay and lend it around to others so that they can learn some lessons from there too.

I wish everyone have a great Goat Year ahead and keep filling yourself up with good books and keep writing my dear blogger friends. Take care and have fun!!! :)

P.S. Hopey means the opposite of worrying. Remaining hopeful; so as not to hold fear, anxiety or worry.

17 comments:

Gyembo Namgyal said...

Beautiful, I don't know if this book is available here but, I will certainly list it in my buying list.I don't worry of anything in life but I definitely want to be HOPEY and GRUMPY too.

Precious Moment said...

Great article, especially the quote from Ajahn Brahm's book! Thanks Rima for sharing it...

Overcome Life said...

Thank you for going through Gyembo Sir! Hope you can find it one day! :)

Overcome Life said...

It's my pleasure Shel! Thanks for going through! ^^

Yeesi7 said...

So true Rima!
I think we know the repercussion of our actions and the choices we make in our life, sometimes, we just don't see it coming and live a selfish life.
I think this book can serve as a good reminder for everyone to appreciate the little things we have in our life and be contend.

You are one lucky girl to have found a wonderful man of your life. With Best wishes! :)

Rupa Gurung said...

Lucky you maam Rima... LOL
Its soo true that richness and handsomeness will definitely be a magnet for another person… So, b comfortable n content with what you have and what you are… At last we have to rely on what was written in our fate…
Liked your beautiful post… and glad to know that you fruitfully spent your vacation back at your hometown…
Happy Lu-Lho(Goat year) too... God bless you :)
Thank you and pleasant evening ahead :)

Overcome Life said...

Yes Yessie, most of the time we all know about the consequences to our actions but yet we still do it. That's why we always have to be reminded again and again :)

Thank you and I hope one day you will find a wonderful man of your life too! :) Take care! ^^

Overcome Life said...

Thank you for going through and leaving all you cheerful comments here Rupa! :) Have a blessed Sheep year to you too and may Buddha bless you! :)

Anonymous said...

Hi Rima, a nice review of the book you have just read and thanks for sharing the gist of your favourite story. I too liked the morale of the story. Yes, lower expectation will not cause any worry. I too don't want to marry a beautiful wife. haha.

Unknown said...

You could always find some ways to keep reading.I can't stop admiring you and you won't stop inspiring us.You are having the will and there always seemed to appear some ways. The topic indeed was catchy and that story you have shared is exactly happening around.Restraining myself from it like you did.Beautiful...

LCD said...


I loved the abstract on having low expectations :) Wonderful lines, dearest madam. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for inspiring young minds :) Have a great day. Take Care!

Overcome Life said...

Haha.... Thank you for going through Amrith Sir! Yup, less worry and hopefully more hopey! ;)

Overcome Life said...

Thank you la Kipchu! I'm just doing my usual thing as reading has been part of my daily life, so does life learning. Practicing is the challenge though ;) Wish you have a great day! ^^

Overcome Life said...

We should thank Ajahn Brahm for inspiring us with his teaching. I just love to share the good things around :) Have a great day to you too Lekey! Thanks for reading it! ^^

Flora said...

It's always in my mind 'don't worry, he happy' but now this other way of title seems better meaningful, I am exactly the same as you charo, good that we been thoughthful before merrying handsome & rich��
it is very true,as I didn't marry neither rich nor handsome husband, we both never been jealousy nor worried of each other. Instead, we are happy what we are. Thanks for sharing about this nice book. Cheers!

Overcome Life said...

Hahaha... Hope your hubby not angry reading your comment here ;P Kidding! You are lucky marrying a man with good heart Flora and blessed with a good daughter! So what to worry? ;)

Flora said...

Hahah�� I am sure he will not, after all he choosed me for same reason. So we are both happy with a gift of beautiful daughter.

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