Don't Worry

Most of what we fret about never comes to pass; the author puts the figure at roughly nine in ten of our worries. Recall a time when a concern that seemed enormous suddenly shrank to nothing, and how much lighter you felt afterward. Shunmyo Masuno, a Zen Buddhist author who also wrote The Art of Simple Living, argues that this lightness comes from staying anchored in the present moment, which loosens the grip of needless anxiety and lets the mind settle.

The book moves through a set of practical lessons. Measuring yourself against others is a major source of obsession, and giving up that habit causes much of it to fall away. Clearing out possessions and commitments keeps life simple. Constant seeking, hurrying and fixating can be set aside, and events can be read in a favorable light, since your own judgment decides whether you are happy. Taking in less information helps, and so does stepping back from competition, which the author presents as a Zen way of easing anxiety. When worry starts to build, acting on the matter tends to serve you better than brooding over it, because things usually turn out better than feared.

The guide is made up of 48 short lessons, with nearly 30 zengo, or Zen sayings, quoted throughout. It is aimed at readers who want to feel calmer, more relaxed and more positive, and it is sold as a bestseller in many countries.