My Mom Unsubscribed From My Newsletter.

Yes, you read it correctly.

My mom unsubscribed from my newsletter. As I was preparing one of my Wellness Journals a while ago, I happened to see that my mom had opted out of receiving it. My initial reaction was, yikes, did I offend her? What did I write that could have been upsetting? Then I figured she maybe just wasn’t interested in the topic. Or maybe she felt embarrassed by something I shared? My mind went on a loop of creating stories and scenarios as to why.

Then I had a moment of clarity and realized that this was a little crazy. I could easily find out the answer by simply asking her. It turns out that she genuinely didn’t know she had unsubscribed in the first place. She had accidentally clicked on a button and that was it. It was as simple as that. We had a good laugh and moved on (after a short tech lesson😉).

I share this because it was a prime example of the countless times I have created stories and made assumptions about other people’s actions in my head. Our mind is wired for certainty, meaning it wants to know what is happening around you. Protection and survival are always its main focus, leaning towards negativity for that same reason. In addition to this, the mind is very creative. So it creates stories to make sense of the world around you. Over time, these stories can become quite colourful and even further away from the actual truth.

One of my favorite personal development books is The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz. One of the agreements is to not make assumptions. The truth is you never know what is actually going on in someone’s life, and less so in their mind. We create much internal suffering by making assumptions about so many things in life.

Not making assumptions requires recognizing when the mind is in a “loop” and asking yourself: Do I know this to be true or is this a story I’m telling myself? Having the courage to ask and clarify the truth sometimes helps to stop a narrative that doesn’t serve you (or even exist). It often helps to eliminate personal suffering, and can also strengthen relationships.

The next time you are upset about something, pause and check-in. Is this the actual truth or an assumption you are making about the truth?

Stay calm & healthy my friend. And as always, remember to slow down and breathe…

Your dreams are waiting.