When life throws us back

How often do we feel thrown back by life, surprised by a reaction or a situation we did not see coming? And when we look back, were we truly present in that moment? Were we connected to ourselves and to the person or situation in front of us? Or were we running after our own thoughts, slightly out of sync with what was unfolding?

“Presence is often the difference between being surprised by life and being in conversation with it.”

Creating space to listen

Listening begins with space. Space in our daily or weekly rhythm to simply be. To observe with all our senses. To look inward instead of being constantly pulled outward.

This kind of listening is a practice. It starts with training our body and nervous system to notice before we interpret. To receive what is here instead of immediately jumping into our story about it. To tune in to subtle sensations beneath the louder emotions like fear, frustration, desire or avoidance.
Those big feelings often drown out the quiet signals that hold truth. When we slow down enough, we can sense what is emerging long before it becomes a storm.

Trusting what we notice

Then comes trust. How many times have we felt something and brushed it off? So often we know when a shift is happening, or when something unspoken sits between us and someone else. Sometimes we even create a story around it, yet still doubt our inner voice.
What if, instead of silencing it or jumping to conclusions, we simply checked in? With ourselves, with the moment, or with the other person.

“Listening involves moving away from what we think we know towards being receptive to what IS.”

A recent reminder

Recently I felt a little under the weather, so I stepped back. I rested, tended to simple nurturing activities, and allowed a slower rhythm. I created space to simply be. In that quiet, a thought surfaced. I realised I had not heard from a magazine I am supposed to appear in. Immediately, I sensed something in my body. A subtle nudge that the reality might not match how I had envisioned it.
There was a familiar mix of uncertainty and mild restlessness. Instead of pushing it away or letting my mind spin, I reached out to my contact person. The reply confirmed my concern. The sensations intensified, my mind picked up speed, and I stayed with it. Then I responded clearly and without drama. I shared my disappointment and asked whether something could still be done. After that I turned off my phone, knowing that scrolling in social media would only add noise. The next day, I turned it on again and the situation had already been solved.

Presence as a daily discipline

I share this because it reminded me in a real and quiet way what mindfulness and inquiry look like in daily life. We create space. We listen. We trust what we notice. And when needed, we act in a grounded and kind way. Not perfectly, but with presence.
Give yourself moments to pause. Step off the moving train for a breath. Allow time to simply be. Your listening sharpens each time you honour it, and with practice it becomes a guide you can trust.

“We do not refine listening by thinking harder, but by being here more fully.”

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