We Can’t Stop the Waves, But We Can Learn to Surf

As election week begins, I’ve been reflecting on what originally drew me to mindfulness. Like many of my students, I turned to it during a time of anxiety and overwhelm. I hoped mindfulness would help me “clear my mind” to escape constant worry and rumination. Instead, it taught me to gently welcome the very emotions I’d been trying to avoid. Through this openness, I found the strength to navigate difficult and uncertain times, something I hope to share with you as well.

Here are a few tools I’ve learned to manage these feelings without becoming overwhelmed:

1. The Pause
A pause gives us a moment to remember who we are, gathering our mind, heart, and body into the present. Simply pause. No need to rush. Right now, in this moment, you are okay.

2. Self-Compassion
In times like these, we can find comfort in our shared experience. Acknowledging our uncertainty and embracing common humanity reminds us that we’re all in this together. Mindfulness invites us to meet our feelings as they are, and practices like RAIN (Recognize, Allow, Investigate, Nurture) can help us manage challenging emotions with steadiness and kindness.

3. Keep Going—Be Gritty
When we stay focused on our goals and persevere through adversity, we’re often rewarded. Reflect on what you truly want to achieve and commit to it, no matter what happens.

4. Embrace Growth
True happiness lies in embracing life’s challenges and finding meaning in both joys and hardships. Life’s difficulties, from daily stresses to deeper struggles, are unavoidable, but we can choose how to move through them.

As Tolstoy wrote: “Life is continual creation. When existing forms are destroyed, this only means a new form is taking shape, invisible to us. We see what is outside us, but we don’t see what is within us. A caterpillar sees itself shrivel up but doesn’t see the butterfly which flies out of it.”

We can’t control the future, and change is the only constant. But remember—you’re not alone. Be kind to yourself and others, know that in this moment you’re okay, and just keep going, one step at a time. And for a practice that helps me see the meditation audio above called Soften Soothe and Allow.