I just started reading Pema Chodron's book Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change. This book is based off Buddhist philosophy and is deeply rooted in mindfulness. So far, the first chapter has really challenged my thought process. August has been a funky month. Adventurous and exciting, yet there has been a tiny dark cloud constantly looming over me. Change! Lately I have caught myself manifesting negativity and being quiet pessimistic, ways of coping with upcoming transitions and unsteady ground. Therefore, this week's mantra is to drop the storyline.
Chodron's book talks about the "physiological mechanism behind emotion: an emotion, like anger, that's an automatic response lasts just ninety seconds from the moment it's triggered until it runs its course. One and a half minutes, that's all. When it lasts any longer, which it usually does, it's because we've chosen to rekindle it."
Say what? We choose our emotions? (to a certain extent) Ah ha! So, to keep it simple, I'm trying to drop the story line I create around my emotions. If even for a few seconds.
Happy Monday!
P.S. The above photo is from this day last year! Tobias & I had just begun our European Eurail adventure. This photo is from a walk on the German island Rugen where we camped.
what great advise! Sometimes when you get stuck in an unhappy mood about something you kinda get attached to that feeling and can't let it go. I certainly need to focus on fopping the storyline more myself!
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