Imagine that you’re sitting on the bank of a river, observing the water rushing by. Maybe the water is clear and beautiful. Perhaps there is occasional trash or mud.
Nevertheless, you remain aware that the river’s inherent beauty is unchanged. The river is forever, having been there since well before you were born, and will likely outlast your lifetime. Yet the water pours forth, and even the unchanging river is in a perpetual state of change.
Now imagine observing your thoughts and emotions as they drift through your mind. What I’m describing is what we call metacognition. That is, it is using your mind to observe your mind.
When you are struggling, are you plunging into that river and being carried along in the current, or are you able to get to the bank and observe what is happening in your mind? You could slip and end up being carried along in spite of your best intentions; it happens to all of us.
But the next time you’re struggling, see if you can put yourself on that riverbank to gather yourself before acting.
