The Open Sky of Your Mind

Most people appear to regard emotion, particularly negative emotion, as something that happens to them.

Often, the culprit is another person or an external event. We might believe he said something that irritated me, or that I'm upset because my car has a flat tire.

However, try to think of your negative emotions as a habitual behavior. You are exercising them: rage, fear, sadness, and envy.

These are repetitive actions that you perform in response to specific stimuli. Consider how good you are at reacting to the same old things in the same old ways. You hold the world record for being nearly identical to who you were the day before.

But why not take a break?

Why not break the cycle?

And you can do it at any time you are willing to see your thoughts for what they are: fleeting appearances in your mind.

As a result, you can spend the rest of the day becoming angry, anxious, or frustrated on cue.

Alternatively, you can allow each thought and emotion to pass through you under the open sky of your mind.