From “Oh Sh*t” to “Okay, What Now?”
A real-life mindfulness moment
Driving home from a rural retreat in 2023, I hit a rock. A biiiig one. Instant flat tyre.
In a non-mindful state I’d have said "oh sh$t! You idiot! How did you miss that rock?!” Cue panic about my evening plans.
In a mindful state, I was different.
"That didn't sound good"
"How did I miss that?"
*looks in mirror WITH CURIOSITY AND NO JUDGEMENT*
"WOW, I can barely see the rock in all those leaves! No wonder I hit it."
"OK I should pull over and assess the damage."
Totally different. Worried for sure. But also calm.
I called my husband. Made a plan. And rolled the car down the hill to a pub.
I got a book out, bought myself a diet coke, and enjoyed 30 minutes to myself while waiting for assistance.
And it was a lovely way to unwind after a day creating calm for others.
Now obviously I wish I hadn't hit the rock.
My husband and I were nearly late to a charity event he was organising (awkward!).
But worrying about that, chastising myself, wouldn't have helped.
I did what I needed to in the moment, and then continued to focus on the moment in front of me.
And so when we arrived with just a few minutes to spare, and my husband had to forfeit his tech checks that he normally likes to do, we just dove straight into the evening.
Imagine we'd arrived in a panic?
Imagine I'd spent the time worrying about being late, telling myself off for being so stupid? We wouldn’t have been able to dive straight in when we did arrive.
But 5 years ago, I would have assumed that was normal.
So two big lessons today:
1) Just because you normally always tell yourself off for being stupid, catastrophise, and/or panic, doesn't mean you’ll always be that way.
2) Being in the present moment, without judgement, makes SO many situations easier (and potentially even find some positives in tricky situations!)
If you want to practise doing this in a safe, non-judgemental environment, I have space on my retreat next weekend
Too soon? Let me know you're interested and I'll give you first dibs on dates for the Sept/Oct event
Sending lots of love x
PS. Full disclaimer - I do not always respond this way to challenges. For how I act when I’m NOT so mindful, and how I get back on track, read this
Great story, Luci. Mindfulness makes such a positive difference in our lives!
Your flat tire incident highlights something we often forget: we're not in control of everything. We can do our best to be mindful and present, but sometimes life throws a rock (or a metaphorical wrench) our way. It's not about avoiding these obstacles altogether – that's impossible – but about how we respond to them. Your ability to stay calm and find the silver lining (a quiet moment with a book and a Diet Coke) is inspiring. It's a reminder that even in chaos, there can be peace.