The Power of One Minute

Our brains love predictability. When something is unknown, it creates discomfort within us. And because our brains aren’t naturally comfortable with discomfort, the unknown starts them spinning with thoughts, searching for a solution, trying to return us to what is familiar and known.

The challenge is, we are human beings living in a world full of unpredictability. This means our predictability-loving brains and nervous systems are often on edge, caught between craving stability and facing the ever-changing nature of life.

So, if that’s the case… what can we do?

One way to support ourselves in this conundrum is to gently build more comfort around unpredictability. To create more ease in our discomfort . To train our nervous systems to recognize that we are safe, even when things are uncertain.

Here’s a one-minute way to begin:

Watch this short video of waves breaking on the shore. While you do, breathe deeply. Simply observe the moment, knowing you can’t predict exactly how it will unfold, and that it’s okay not to know. Notice your tendency to anticipate what the next wave will do. That drive is normal and an automatic part of your nervous system programming, so let it be there.

Then, get curious and shift your focus to the nuances of how each wave hits the shoreline slightly differently. Notice the rhythm, how they always come and always go, much like your breath. Notice what changes and what stays the same. Let yourself rest in the rhythm.

When we can’t predict what’s next, we can still find something to anchor to, even if it’s only the breath entering and leaving our bodies.

Feel free to return to this practice any time, allowing it to help you build a sense of known in the face of the unknown.