An Epiphany on Epiphanies
I’ve had a few epiphanies in my life. It’s an amazing feeling, like discovering a hidden room in my home. The door opens to a thought, and suddenly my view expands. It feels magical.
Even though I just described it as life-altering, I remind myself not to seek out results like that—or results in general—when doing my mindfulness practices. As great as epiphanies are, they can also be daunting. They can be thoughts like, “Oh… he never loved me,” or “I just realized I hate my job.” While they help us get to know ourselves and figure out our next steps, they can also be intimidating.
That’s why I do a daily mindfulness practice. It sharpens my tools for dealing with big realizations. It helps me navigate and understand new ideas. If I come to realize that I’m not happy with work life, I need to actively make it better. But it might not be feasible to make big, sweeping changes immediately. I might not be able to quit my job the same day I realize I strongly dislike my career. Instead, I need to sit with the new realization and let it help me create a plan to guide me to a better, more fitting place for me.
Mindfulness practices like meditation, journaling, and giving gratitude, are not about immediate transformation; they are about steady growth and self-awareness. With each practice, I’m building the resilience and clarity needed to navigate life’s epiphanies, no matter how big or small.
ACTION: Take a minute to focus solely on your breathing. Inhale deeply through your nose for four seconds, hold for four seconds, and exhale through your mouth for four seconds. Repeat this cycle three times. This simple exercise helps center your mind and bring you back to the present moment.
