As I was walking along this trail the other day,
I was reminded how difficult moments seem to pop up all the time,
And how just slowing down a little and recognizing that can be so helpful.
Maybe you've had a conversation that didn't go the way you had hoped.
Maybe there's a mistake that you keep replaying in your mind.
Maybe you just have an unexplainable unsettled feeling.
When these things happen,
Before we realize it,
Often another voice comes in,
And it asks,
Why did I do that?
Or I should be better than this.
Or I know better.
And suddenly the difficult moment becomes even more difficult as we sort of pile on thoughts and feelings.
Not just because of what happened,
But because of how we're meeting ourselves.
So maybe today,
Just for a moment,
We can try something different.
Pause for a moment.
Notice what is here.
What's going on in your body or in your mind?
Maybe there's some tightness.
Maybe in your chest,
In your shoulders,
Or in your stomach.
It's so important,
And this is the key to mindfulness,
That there's no need to fix these feelings.
There's no need to fix your thoughts.
So there's no need to figure anything out.
You can just gently name it.
This is a moment of difficulty.
That's all.
This is a moment of difficulty.
And then if it feels right,
You might add,
May I be kind to myself in this moment.
If you'd like,
You can place your hand on your heart just as an expression of being here for yourself.
Or you can imagine yourself walking beside yourself instead of walking away.
The old patterns,
The patterns of the critic,
They might and they will return.
And that is okay.
This isn't something we master overnight.
It's something we return to again and again.
Not with force,
But with presence.
With gentleness.
With a different relationship to ourselves.
So as you move through the rest of your day,
Maybe you can carry this with you.
This is a moment of difficulty.
And I can meet this with kindness.
Take good care.
