Taming your thoughts

Imagine sitting in front of a sushi train at a restaurant. The chef in the centre is busy preparing a variety of dishes, and these dishes pass by you on the conveyor belt. Some dishes look delicious and tempting, others might not appeal to you at all, and some are just neutral. You don’t have to reach out and grab every dish that passes by—you can simply watch them go by, choosing only what you really want.

Now, think of your thoughts and feelings as those dishes on the sushi train. Just like the dishes, thoughts and feelings come and go throughout the day. Some are pleasant, some are unpleasant, and some are neutral. Rather than getting caught up in each one, you can learn to observe them as they pass by, choosing how you want to respond, or even letting them go without engaging with them at all. This approach helps you create a little distance from your thoughts and feelings, allowing you to decide which ones to engage with and which ones to simply let pass.