From SGI USA, I'm Cassidy Bradford and this is Budability.

The weekly series where I talk with Buddhists from all walks of life about the power we each have to change our lives and the world around us.

Every once in a while, I'll fall down an online shopping rabbit hole.

TikTok, after TikTok telling me that this one meal, shoe, or book will totally transform

my life.

An elusive self-worth and happiness will appear once I get that

thing. Maybe you're not a big shopper, but instead you might look to grades, work, or relationships

to define who you are, and even your value. I think that this is an all too common problem. Buddhism says, however, that

we can be happy, independent of any particular circumstance, and our life is infinitely precious,

whether we're unemployed or a CEO. Today's guest, Sandeep Ramanathan of Seattle, shares his struggle to find happiness and self-worth, just as he is.

Through diving into Buddhist practice, he learned he can work hard and love his career without tying his worth to it.

Welcome to Budability, Sundeev.

Thank you so much for joining.

I'm very excited to hear more of your story today.

So before I spoil anything, I'm just going to have you introduce yourself.

So you can share a little bit just about who you are.

Awesome, yeah, thank you. Thank you so much, Cassidy.

Yeah, my name is Sandeep.

I a little bit more myself. I grew up in Chennai, back in India,

and then I grew a little bit up in London, and then moved back for middle school and high school.

And then I came here from my undergrad to Seattle.

And then, yeah, ever since then I've been in Seattle.

...