After the Moment Has Passed.
Good morning, friends.
The Moment
A few days ago, an uncomfortable encounter left me angry.
In the past, I would almost certainly have reacted. This time, I stayed calm. I knew the direction I wanted to move in, and making the situation worse would take me away from it.
But afterward, my mind kept returning to what had happened. The moment was over, yet the argument continued in my head.
I kept thinking about what I could have said or done. The old urge to react was still there.
Today, that voice is quieter. I can still hear it, but I don’t have to follow it.
One Useful Thought
A calmer response can come before a calmer mind.
Practising awareness doesn’t mean we stop feeling anger or that every old impulse disappears. Sometimes we recognize the impulse and choose our actions while it is still speaking.
We can notice a thought without becoming it, and hear it without obeying it.
Letting go of the argument doesn’t mean accepting how we were treated. We can keep a boundary, take any necessary action, and stop feeding the replay.
The old reaction may still come to mind. Each time it does, we have another opportunity to choose our direction.
One Question Worth Carrying.
"Am I taking a useful next step, or continuing an argument inside my head?"
The One-Degree Turn
When an upsetting moment returns to your mind today, pause and name it:
“I’m replaying the encounter.”
Ask whether anything useful still needs doing. If it does, choose one calm step. If it doesn’t, bring your attention back to what is in front of you.
You can feel the anger and still keep your hands on the helm.
Fair winds,
Chef Martin
Boarding Pass 365
