How to be yourself when you’re put in a box

How to be yourself when you’re put in a box

Author: SGI-USA September 4, 2021 Duration: 36:47

Today’s episode is about the power of believing in yourself, even if the people around you don’t. 


Having the courage to pursue the life you want isn’t easy, and it’s especially hard when the people around you put you in a box, or limit what they believe you can do. But Buddhism teaches us how to live a life of unlimited courage. 


Our guest is Jenny Ye, of Michigan who started her practice of SGI Nichiren Buddhism as a teenager in South Korea.


After being given little choice about her career options because of her gender, she decided to chant to transform her relationship with her family and believe in her own dreams. 


Today, she shares that journey and how, after conquering her fears back home, she was able to navigate entering a male-dominated industry in the United States, where she faced similar disbelief. Still, she won over it all.


CHEAT SHEET


2:07 Why Jenny started chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo

4:08 How she knew chanting worked 

5:13 How her relationship with her father changed

10:40 What it took to begin a new career-path on her own terms

17:35 How she dealt with feeling like an outsider in the U.S.

19:55 How she learned to believe in herself

24:20 Her favorite Buddhist concept about individuality

28:37 Her dream for the future

30:37 How her dad feels about her Buddhist practice now

33:32 Advice for anyone who feels limited by their environment or circumstances 


It’s easy to lose sight of our own strength when life gets complicated, but what if that inherent clarity and capability never actually left? Buddhability explores that very idea through the lived experiences of everyday people. Host Cassidy Bradford guides genuine conversations with a community of practicing Buddhists from SGI-USA, who share how they navigate real-world challenges. You’ll hear personal stories that touch on everything from mental resilience and physical well-being to navigating career shifts and personal relationships. This isn’t about abstract theory; it’s a practical look at applying Buddhist principles to uncover a more confident and compassionate way of living. Each episode of the podcast feels like a thoughtful dialogue, focusing on how to reconnect with that inner resourcefulness-your Buddhability-amidst the stress and clutter of modern life. The discussions are grounded in the belief that enlightenment isn’t a distant goal, but a potential we can all access right now to improve our own lives and positively impact the world around us. Tune in for honest reflections and discover how this perspective can transform the ordinary into something extraordinary.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 244

Buddhability
Podcast Episodes
What It Took to Make My Dreams a Reality [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:22
Buddhism helps us to build a solid inner life that isn’t swayed by our circumstances. That strength is the key to having the confidence needed to take action toward our dreams. Today’s guest, Christopher Robin Donaldson,…
A Skeptic's Approach to Buddhism [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:09
It’s natural to have doubt. The key, however, is whether we use our questions as fuel to seek out answers. Confidence in the power of Buddhist practices grows with time as you see actual proof of change in your life.Toda…
How Living True to Myself Improved My Relationships [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:22
Whether we like it or not, we don’t exist in isolation. The interconnection of life means that when we change, our environment changes as well. Today’s guest, Heidi Hayashi, of Stratford, Conn., shares how finding the co…
Buddhability Short: Caring for ourselves and others [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:51
Buddhability Shorts are monthly episodes where we break down a Buddhist concept that we’ve touched on in an interview. This month, we’re talking about why Buddhist practice is neither simple altruism nor is it focused so…
Anatomy of a Dream [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:52
This week we’re talking about dreams. How do we dream? How do we find purpose in our dreams? And if we have a clear dream, how we pursue it. We’re speaking with two young Buddhists: one who learned how to open her life u…
Your Stories of Gratitude [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:29
As we head into the final stretch of the year, we bring you the voices of several Buddhability listeners sharing appreciation for someone in their life. References mentioned:The Wisdom for Creating Happiness and Peace, p…
Breaking Free from Self-Imposed Limitations [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:56
Believing that we each possess limitless wisdom, courage and compassion—what we call Buddhability—can be a daily battle. Many of us impose limitations on ourselves, believing that we’re not capable of accomplishing our d…
Listener Episode: Send us your stories on gratitude! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:35
We’re creating a special episode about gratitude with stories from listeners. To submit, send a voice memo of no more than 1 minute to connect@sgi-usa.org sharing a quick story about someone you appreciate. It can be a s…
SGI President Daisaku Ikeda Passes Away [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 3:07
Today we share the news of Buddhist philosopher and Soka Gakkai International (SGI) President Daisaku Ikeda’s passing and the impacts of his life and work.
How I Stopped Letting Anger and Fear Control Me [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:13
Fear and anger can be overpowering. Especially when they’re grounded in past and deeply personal experience. While our fears may feel justified they can also hold us back from accomplishing our goals and living a happy l…