Of Valuing Values In Life!

 

Most of us must have watched the new season of the web series Panchayat. The character of Binod has been receiving a lot of well-deserved appreciation, all apparently due to a single sentence he says in the series – ‘I am poor, but I am not a traitor.’

Loyalty, honesty, commitment – values!

In a world that is being turned topsy-turvy by emerging trends that make us question everything we have believed and grown up thinking to be right or true, values seem to be taking a back seat. Everything is apparently acceptable today. People say and do things that are questionable, all in the name of ‘being authentic to ourselves’. Celebrities and influencers advocate lifestyles that are morally questionable, all in the course of gaining likes and followers. The sad part is, most of these people would not be leading such lifestyles, yet they pretend to do so.

What has this topic got to do with mental wellbeing, you ask? Everything!

I am currently reading a book titled Buddhism for Beginners, written by Sophia Shell. I would like to share few excerpts from this book that show how values are linked to mental health.

Every time we honor our values, we reinforce trust in ourselves. We become more confident in our choices and less dependent on external validation.

Demonstrating consistency in our values builds reliability and strengthens bonds.

When our actions match our beliefs, life feels more meaningful. There is less inner conflict, less second-guessing and a greater sense of fulfillment.

We often experience that when we act against our innate good nature (and we act often, even though we know what we are doing is not right), we feel the sting of guilt and regret. At the same time, having done the right thing gives mental satisfaction and contentment.

Many people lead discontented lives today and for most of them, the reason is the abstinence from values. Either some are victims of non-ethical behavior, or some are guilty of the same. Whatever category people might be in, digression from our values is bound to affect us at a deep subconscious level. Guilt, regret, fear of retribution – all these catch up with us later or sooner and make life extremely difficult.

Times are changing, people are also changing. But values will be eternal. Loyalty, honesty, kindness, empathy, goodwill – these will always be in trend! Want good relationships? Have loyalty and honesty. Want to have a healthy state of mind? Practice kindness and empathy. Want to have a social standing? Maintain goodwill with your near and dear ones! It is as simple as that!

Today I was watching a documentary on the lifestyle of Bhutan. I started the video with great anticipation. After all, I was going to learn the secrets about one of the happiest nations of the world.

What I saw immediately was a remote village where electricity is a rarity. A woman with a family of two kids and one on the way smilingly said that it is difficult to make phone calls as the mobile doesn’t have any charge left most of the times. Her children study by the light of a wick lit by paraffin oil kept inside a bottle. There was radiance in her face as she spoke to the reporter. I was left baffled by her nonchalant attitude towards all the hardships she was facing. But this was not all. The documentary then showed a dentist in his early thirties who regularly makes 10-hour drives to villages through rugged roads carved atop mountains where the threat of landslides looms threateningly. With a genial smile (what is it with Bhutanese and their ever smiling faces!!), he says that most villages do not have dentists and he ensures to travel to as many places as he can so that people can get dental treatment.

The documentary then showed the daily life of a guy named Soham who was sort of an animal welfare activist. When a stream almost dried up, he and his team mates collected all the fish from the stream, put them in plastic bags filled with water and emptied them into the pond of a monastery, giving the fish a new life.

Just when I was wondering how Bhutan has a high index of happiness, the documentary stated that the people of Bhutan are devoted to their faith. Prayers and rituals are an essential part of their lives. They are close to their roots. Community spirit forms the very essence of life there. People get by mainly with each other’s support and assistance.

And maybe, maybe, this is why Bhutan has a high GDP in happiness. Community spirit, kindness, service to humankind, resilience to persist in every kind of situation, empathy towards their fellow beings – values, values, values!

Want to be content? Keep ample space for values in your life!

Life will keep testing us day by day. The temptation for shorter and morally questionable paths will increase every day. But holding to our integrity and doing the right thing will always be the right solution. And I will not say that doing the right thing will be hard. May be at first. But with practice, you will realize that it becomes easier to do it.

Because at our deepest level, we are possessed with innate goodness. All we need is just to remind us about this every day and every minute. So that we hold on tightly to our values and live life with integrity and purpose, and most importantly, with a contented and healthy mind!