What is one thing you’re holding onto because it’s comfortable, even though it no longer fits?

This prompt invites us to reflect on our attachments. In traditional Buddhist teachings, attachments are the root of much of our suffering. We aim to release our attachments to possessions, mindsets, people, and habits.

Here are some of my attachments, some I have broken and some I am still working on:

To escapism through instant dopamine. I still slip into occasional doomscrolling on social media, especially when my emotional state is dysregulated. It is incredibly easy and frictionless to choose what feels good, rather than what is actually good for us.

What can break this attachment is finding healthier alternatives and proactively regulating our emotions. I do this by reflecting regularly and meditating often. By sticking to routines, I strengthen the muscle of choosing what is healthier in the long term, rather than defaulting to what feels good in the moment.

To old mindsets. We find safety and security in what is familiar. When we are on the brink of becoming a new version of ourselves, it can be difficult to unlearn outdated mindsets. For example, I was attached to the mindset that I was a self-improvement project. For many years, I believed there were infinite changes to make before I could be deemed worthy by some invisible judge. Because this mindset was so ingrained in my everyday thoughts, it seemed impossible to feel good enough.

What helped me shed this old mindset was, first, becoming aware that I was separate from this belief. Then, I could create distance and see that it wasn’t the ultimate truth. Eventually, that distance broke the attachment.

What new perspective have you gained recently?

I don’t need to have it together all of the time. I can be messy, free, uncertain, unpolished. There is much to be learned from letting myself go from time to time. From being someone else outside of the preconceived notions and self image I so easily cling to. There is freedom from being unmindful and unintentional. I realized the entire practice is coming back to myself after allowing me to go astray. Progress is not diminished, nor is the version of self that is grounded, balanced, centered. Letting yourself go, unrestrained, is an act of self love. We need to be free to mess up and experiment and play and indulge. Live your life and you do not need to feel guilty about it. I am free to roam and be wild and for the first time in a long time I don’t feel bad about it.

“It is one of the best things in the world to stumble across life and experience it.”

My interpretation of today’s prompt was less literal — I felt the urge to express myself through a drawing of a bonsai tree, rather than words.

My pen began to glide across the page, seemingly with a mind of its own. As the image took form, so did my reflections:

My roots are constructed of compassion, silliness, my Korean heritage, the mindfulness practice that grounds me, my commitment to lifelong learning.

My trunk displays how my mind and body have grown wiser and stronger with experience, tough and rugged yet awaiting more life to unfold.

My branches of insight are intricate and ever-changing.

Bearing witness to my own transformations, metamorphosing into my truest form, makes me feel alive.

To me, a simple drawing can hold as much meaning as words do. Though it may be unclear to outsiders, the only thing that matters is if it makes sense to you.

I like making the page my own; drawing over the prompt, interpreting questions in unconventional ways, honoring the pull towards a particular type of self expression. Today, it was through a simple drawing of a bonsai tree, tomorrow it may be an essay or song or dance.

I look forward to expressing myself in new ways, and I wish you the freedom to do the same.

Unconditional love means meeting people where they are at; not a past or future version of themselves. It means accepting people for who they are, flaws and ask, and loving them for being human.

I can give this to others by not trying to change people, and embracing their true selves.

I can give this to myself by not being overly critical, and accepting myself fully: not try to be anyone I am not, being okay with my mistakes and missteps, and loving me for being a human being.

What emotion are you carrying today?

Where do you feel it in your body?

There is a knot in my stomach that comes and goes.

Sometimes it can be painful, especially when I am on a plane before takeoff or when I am preparing to confront someone about a boundary that has been crossed or when overthinking keeps me up at night.

Today, the knot is tied nocibly tighter than usual. And my breath is also shorter and shallower. This is a familiar pairing.

It’s a real thing I feel in my body, and it took me a while to realize anxiety is the root cause of this knot that seems to emerge out of the blue. This is how anxiety physically manifests for me.

I am now bringing my attention to the knot. And just by noticing, it’s beginning to unravel, like a delicate spool of yarn.

I can see, and feel, the yarn continuing to uravel, on and on, until there is no knot left to untangle. And my lungs can fully expand, and I can breathe into my stomach again, too.

And everything feels more okay than how it felt just a few moments ago.