If you are like me, or just human, we tend to live in our own bubble. My life consumes me, and I don’t see much beyond my job, yoga, coaching and my family. When time allows, I do enjoy others around me, but 90% of the time, it’s all about me and my life. When I have a deep conversation with a friend, family member, or even a colleague where we drop the protective bubble, and we share deeply, these moments get me out of my bubble, and I feel grateful, empowered, and full. I’ve also noticed that we often create “stories” in our bubble of how we assume the world to be. These stories are an illusion we’ve constructed in our minds.
You know those times when we say, “well, that just burst my bubble!”, this means we realized the constructed story was untrue. It can be about ourselves, another person, or a situation. As I travel the path of deeper understanding, I have become more accepting, realizing that I have no idea what’s going on around me, nor how things will unfold. I see that EVERYONE is carrying a burden whether it's relating to health, finances, relationships, jobs, or family issues. I’ve become much more compassionate, and I practice patience in letting things unfold in their own time. I am also practicing gratitude for the things I do have which is a wonderful way to start any day.
I can recall a particular burst bubble moment that happened in the last 3 years. I was taking a research survey class as a post graduate student and some of my classmates decided to survey students in the school regarding food insecurity. I had no idea what the term “food insecurity” meant. I sat on my laptop and googled “food insecurity”. Wow, how lucky was I that I did not know that term! I was also secretly so embarrassed that I had never heard it when it’s all around me. I thought of my friends who are lucky enough not to worry about food insecurity but who have stepped out of their bubbles to become activists for hunger by their involvement with food pantries, or those who stop to buy a homeless person a sandwich. You know who you are, and I salute you along with all others who speak up and who have chosen to work in jobs that fight for human rights.
Today’s blog is to take a moment to step outside our bubbles and realize that EVERYONE comes with their own story regardless how they look on the outside. This quote inspired today’s blog.
For parents: Expose your children to struggles outside of their bubble. Visit a homeless center, or a children’s hospital. It’s easy to “create a story” about someone who looks different to us. Point out that we have no idea what is going on with the person who is walking next to us on the sidewalk seemingly so content and happy. I feel for those kids who dodge gangs while walking home from school because they do not want to be in one. When my kids were in high school their big complaint was taking the school bus vs. driving a car as they had to share ours. They coined the bus the “loser cruiser”. Yes, we lived in a bubble! Looking back, some of the kids driving the fanciest cars had family situations that were very difficult. I know a beautiful mom who was battling cancer and has since passed. Everyone has a story!
For me, I am stepping out of my bubble more often to consciously look around, as well as working hard to deflect negative thoughts that spiral in circles and get me nowhere. I picture taking a pin to my bubble where it bursts open allowing the toxic thoughts to float out and away from me.
If you would like help in taking a Do Over to burst your bubble and reset your thought patterns, I am here to help guide you.
~Andi
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