Pause and Observe

Yesterday evening, I had a reflection that I would like to share with my readers about emotions, relationships, and the importance of learning how to pause before allowing an emotion to control our mind.

Yesterday, before I left home to pick up my children from school, I received a message from a man who rents a room from my family. He wanted to move to a larger room, but he was asking for a significant discount. I had already offered him a $10 discount, but he continued asking for more.

I told him that I could not make the final decision and that I would discuss it with my wife. When I explained the situation to her, she said that she did not want to offer any further discount. I suggested that she contact the tenant directly because this was a matter concerning the room and its price. However, she became angry and told me that the people renting our rooms often did not respect her and tended to communicate only with me.

I felt shocked and a little disappointed. I wanted her to handle the matter directly rather than asking me to carry the communication back and forth. I explained that if she spoke with him herself, he would understand clearly that the decision about the price belonged to her and that there was no reason to continue bargaining with me.

Then I left home on my motorbike to pick up my children.

As I was driving, I noticed that my wife’s emotion was still following me. The conversation had ended, but the feeling remained in my mind. Instead of continuing to think about it, I paused internally.

I observed the emotion.

I took a few breaths.

Then I asked myself, “Why is this emotion staying with me for so long?”

I smiled gently and continued riding.

When I arrived at my children’s school, I realized that the emotion had already disappeared. Nothing outside had changed, but something inside me had changed. By simply observing the emotion instead of feeding it with more thoughts, I had allowed it to weaken naturally.

When I returned home, I asked my wife whether she had contacted the tenant. She said yes. I told her that if he continued asking me for a discount, I would simply explain that I did not have the authority to decide the price. The matter belonged to her. She seemed much happier than she had been earlier.

This experience reminded me that emotions do not always need to be solved immediately. Sometimes they simply need to be observed.


Reflection

Whenever an emotion arises, pause for a moment. Take a few deep breaths. Watch the emotion carefully without judging it or becoming it. An emotion is a visitor. When we stop feeding it with additional thoughts, it can gradually weaken and leave.


Practice

When you notice anger, disappointment, frustration, or sadness, do not react immediately. Pause. Breathe. Observe the physical sensations and thoughts connected with the emotion. Give yourself a little space before speaking or acting.


Blessing

May we learn to pause before reacting, observe before judging, and breathe before speaking. May every difficult emotion become an opportunity to understand ourselves more deeply. May our awareness grow stronger, our relationships become more peaceful, and our minds learn to rest in wisdom rather than being controlled by passing emotions.

May we continue walking the path of mindfulness, one breath and one moment at a time.

— Raksmey Koy

Art of Inner Peace

www.artofinnerpeace.com


Continue Your Journey

If today’s reflection touched your heart, I invite you to explore my books on Amazon. Each one is written to inspire mindfulness, wisdom, and inner peace. Thank you for walking this journey with me.

Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/author/raksmeykoy


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