Hello everyone,
This week’s Motivational Monday theme is “staying grounded”.
From the book, Fear: Essential wisdom for getting through the storm” by Thich Nhat Hanh, he compares our emotions to a tree in a storm.
“When you look at a tree during a storm, you see that its branches and leaves are swaying back and forth violently in the strong wind. You have the impression that the tree will not be able to withstand the storm. You are like that when you’re gripped by a strong emotion. Like the tree, you feel vulnerable. You can break at any time. But if you direct your attention down to the trunk of the tree, you see things differently. You see that the tree is solid and deeply routed in the ground. If you focus your attention on the trunk of the tree, you realize that because the tree is firmly routed in the soil, it cannot be blown away”, Thich Nhat Hanh.
Sometimes our emotions feel so intense that we feel unable to manage them. Instead of riding out the storm by breathing, placing our feet firmly on the ground and telling ourselves that this emotion cannot last forever, we try to escape or avoid. This week, ride out the storm, sit with uncomfortable feelings and realize that emotions cannot hurt you.
With both feet on the ground,
Janine
For the Benefit of 