How to Let Things Go: 99 Tips from a Zen Buddhist Monk to Relinquish Control and Free Yourself Up for What Matters
by Shunmyō Masuno
Shunmyō Masuno's *How to Let Things Go* offers 99 Zen Buddhist tips for releasing control and finding inner peace. A central theme emphasizes that one's response to choices outweighs the choices themselves, highlighting the impermanence of all things and the futility of worrying about an unknowable future. The text advocates for mindful detachment from excessive information, suggesting occasional sensory deprivation as a path to clarity. It champions a quiet life in harmony with nature as a form of luxury and identifies the desire for unattainable knowledge, particularly concerning the future, as a root of anxiety. The book also underscores the importance of selective forgetting for self-preservation and teaches emotional regulation, even for monks, by pausing before reacting to anger. It advises against fretting over problems before they materialize and recognizes the stress generated by unsolicited comments. Ultimately, the work suggests that fear of isolation often drives personal relationships, guiding readers toward a more centered and accepting existence.
8 popular highlights from this book
Key Insights & Memorable Quotes
Below are the most popular and impactful highlights and quotes from How to Let Things Go: 99 Tips from a Zen Buddhist Monk to Relinquish Control and Free Yourself Up for What Matters:
“What you make out of your choices is more important than the choices themselves”
“Nothing remains the same, the world is always changing, everything eventually comes to an end”
“It’s useless to fret about the future when you can’t know what will happen. All we can do is try our best to deal with problems when they actually occur.”
“Since ancient times, Japanese people have regarded a quiet life alone, surrounded by the abundance of nature, as the height of luxury.At the root of anxiety is the desire to know something that you are never going to know, no matter how much you think about it. A classic example is vague anxiety about the future.The ability to forget is an instinct for self-preservation. If we remembered every last unpleasant detail from our day-to-day lives, it would crush our spirits.Even monks get angry, but we have to know how to pause and not give in to our temper.”
“I recommend that you occasionally close your eyes and cover your ears to block out information.”
“On any uphill path, there comes a point when you know “here is where the ascent ends.”
“Unsolicited comments—whether you’re the one making or receiving them—create stress.”
“Fear of isolation motivates most of our personal relationships.”
