Whether we feel grounded or overwhelmed by an event is not due to the event but due to our thoughts about it. We experience the energy of our thinking. More precisely, it’s our choice which of our thoughts to believe in and act upon that creates our feelings and behaviour.
One very useful technique in difficult moments is becoming aware of our thinking process. There are normally three different parts that participate in our inner dialogues: a critical voice, a calming voice and a child’s voice.
The critical voice is harsh, mean and judgemental. It’s always driven by fear, and the most important thing to know about it is that it’s lying 99.9% of the time. The calming is the voice of wisdom. The voice of your intuition and deepest knowing. The child is the experiencer of these voices, caught between an unsupportive parent and a loving one—and reacting accordingly.
Whatever the voices may be saying, we are the observer of them. We decide which one to listen to and take action upon.