By attending a liberal arts school, I am exposed to all types of different courses outside of my major, including philosophy, theology and fine arts. This semester, I chose to take Buddhism and I can honestly say that it has really changed my perspective on life. However, one thing that has really stuck out to me during my study of this religion is the idea of impermanence.

So if this term is new for you, you may wondering what exactly impermanence is. According to Dictionary.com, impermanence means not permanent (thanks Dictionary.com). For a better definition, impermanence simply means to live in the moment and not cling to material objects and other things in life because according to the Buddhist belief, this is what ultimately leads to unhappiness or suffering.

In other words, the practice of impermanence is like the modern term 'YOLO' (You Only Live Once). Similar to the Buddhist teaching, this acronym reminded people to do what they want, take chances, and not stress about the past or worry about the future. By living in the moment and making the most out of the present, we ensure less suffering and more happiness in our lives.

This particular teaching really spoke to me because it stressed the importance of not living in the past, because this leads to depression, nor worrying about the future, because this results in anxiety. I know I personally am always thinking about the past and reminding myself of all the mistakes I've made and all of the things I regret. I'm sure that everyone can somewhat relate to this, but I know that we all can relate to worrying about the future. It seems everyone wants to know your ten year plan and what your ultimate goal is in life. Although it is very important to set goals for ourselves, isn't it just as important to enjoy our lives in the present moment?

I feel as though we could all learn something from this Buddhist teaching of impermanence. Our society teaches us to constantly be on the move and looking for the next best thing, but what about all of the great things each of us already have? If we put a little less focus on what should have been or what could be and a little more on what is by spending time with our family and friends and cherishing the present, I think we would find ourselves to be a little less upset and anxious and a lot happier.