This One Shift Can Bring You More Peace.

We all have emotional triggers - moments that make our blood boil or hearts race. Something happens, and instantly, we form a strong opinion about it. But what if it’s not the event itself that causes our reaction… what if it’s our interpretation of it? And what if that interpretation is wrong?

I read the story below this week and wanted to share it as it’s a powerful reminder that not everything is as it seems.
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​A monk decides to meditate alone, away from his monastery. He takes his boat out to the middle of the lake, moors it, closes his eyes and begins to meditate. After some time of undisturbed silence, he suddenly feels the bump of another boat colliding with his own. With his eyes closed, he senses his anger rising, and by the time he opens his eyes, he is ready to shout at the boatman who carelessly disturbed his meditation. But when he opens his eyes, he sees an empty boat that had become untethered and floated to the middle of the lake all by itself.

When we add our own meaning to a situation, we often create unnecessary suffering. A passing comment or a missed glance can suddenly leave us feeling disrespected, ignored, vulnerable, or rejected. But so often, these emotions are less about what actually happened and more about the story we’ve told ourselves.
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So I’m hoping that the next time I overreact to something I don’t fully understand, the image of the monk and the empty boat will gently remind me to pause, breathe, and question the story I’m telling myself. And I hope it does the same for you too.

Thank you for being here. Sending love and kindness,

Laura x