Before the chip

Before the chip

Last night my recently-installed crown?—?a fancy word for a tooth cap that helps restore its shape and strength?—?chipped.?

Before I noticed the chip, I felt totally fine: relaxed and ready to wind down for bed.?

After I noticed the chip, it was a complete shift: I became mildly frustrated and anxious about how much time and money may be required to fix it.?

It’s impressive how a piece of information can upset the balance of things.?

As I laid down to try to rest later that evening, it occurred to me: if it’s possible for me to feel so different after discovering the chip, shouldn’t it also be possible for me to return to who I was before I discovering it??

After all?—?all the positive things that were true before remained true after: I’m still in a safe home, in a comfy bed. I still have a sense of purpose, and I have friends and family that I can rely on.?

My attention has been briefly diverted away from these things towards a flurry of worries; it simply needs to be redirected back.?

Sam Harris offered some timely advice for moments like these in his app Waking Up earlier today:?

“If you’re not mindful, you might spend much of your day feeling like you’re fleeing a burning building or swimming to dry land after a shipwreck. All your thoughts about the past or the future are just thoughts.”

When a storm of thoughts about a frustrating situation arises, a powerful way to disarm it is to take a few deep breaths, scan the room around you, and realize that the building is, in fact, not burning.?


The Daily Spark exists for two reasons:

  1. To document one idea every day that I've found helpful in my life.
  2. To inspire you to discover what matters most and to take action towards it.

Reading subscription: LinkedIn, Substack,?and Medium.

Audio subscription: Spotify, Anchor, Pocket Casts, Breaker, Google Podcasts, and RadioPublic.

About me:

I'm a second-generation Taiwanese American trying to find life’s greatest sources of meaning and make the most out of it.

Rachel Randolph

Embodied communication coaching for mindful leaders | Founder of The Spec Method

8 个月

Got me thinking about all the things I think are chips and actually aren't ?? love this needler newsletter as always!

要查看或添加评论,请登录

William Liao的更多文章

  • The first 96 grams

    The first 96 grams

    I go through one 250-gram bag of coffee about every two weeks. The first 96 grams, which amounts to 6 cups of coffee…

  • Where have you not looked?

    Where have you not looked?

    A person walks towards his car parked under a brightly lit street light. As he motions to grab his keys from his…

  • A problem worth leaving

    A problem worth leaving

    To understand if a problem is worth your life energy to address, you have to be specific about how to assess the…

    1 条评论
  • Discernment

    Discernment

    The more I observe people I consider to be above-average operators, a shared trait clearly emerges: they have…

  • Cut

    Cut

    The Chinese Philosopher Zhuangzi tells a tale of a good cook who “changes his knife once a year?—?because he cuts…

  • When is it important?

    When is it important?

    During a race in the 2024 Formula 1 season, McLaren’s Lando Norris asks his engineer, “How far behind is Max?” He’s…

  • Assume no expertise

    Assume no expertise

    Assuming you’re an expert is a quick way to stunt your personal development. This isn’t say you can’t appreciate having…

  • Reinvention

    Reinvention

    Ken Jeong was a doctor before he became a comedian. Mel Robbins was a criminal defense attorney before becoming a New…

  • Contact time

    Contact time

    I’m in my third read through of one of the best books I’ve read this year. It’s not that I’ve completely forgotten the…

  • Speckhood

    Speckhood

    When I’m stressed about something, I’ll sometimes close my eyes and imagine myself looking at Earth from NASA’s Voyager…

社区洞察

其他会员也浏览了