Have you ever looked up at a sky during a massive thunderstorm? The clouds are dark, the wind is howling, and it feels like the world might just blow away. But if you wait just a little while, the clouds eventually drift apart, and the vast, blue expanse is still there, unchanged. This beautiful idea from Pema Chodron reminds us that our true essence is that steady, unchanging sky. The anxieties, the bad days, and the sudden outbursts of sadness are nothing more than passing weather patterns. They are real, and they can be intense, but they are not who you are.

In our daily lives, it is so easy to get swept up in the storm. We wake up with a heavy feeling in our chests, or perhaps we face a stressful deadline that makes us feel like we are drowning in chaos. When we are in the middle of a difficult moment, we tend to identify with the struggle. We say things like, I am depressed, or I am a failure. But those are just descriptions of the weather passing through us. If we can learn to hold onto our faith, we can remember that the person experiencing the storm is much larger and much more stable than the storm itself.

I remember a time when I felt quite overwhelmed by my own little clouds. I was worried about so many things at once that I felt like I was nothing but a swirling mess of gray mist. I couldn't see any light at all. It was only when I took a deep breath and practiced just observing my thoughts, rather than becoming them, that I felt a sense of peace. I realized that even though the mist was thick, the sky was still holding it all. I wasn't the mist; I was the space where the mist was happening. That realization changed how I approached every difficult day that followed.

It takes practice to stay identified with the sky. When a sudden gust of anger or a heavy downpour of grief hits, try not to fight the weather. Instead, try to step back and observe it. Remind yourself that this feeling is passing through, but you are the vast, beautiful space that remains. You are much more resilient and permanent than any temporary hardship you might face.

Today, I want to encourage you to take a moment to breathe. If you are feeling stormy right now, please know that the blue sky is still there, waiting patiently behind the clouds. Can you try to find just one small way to remind yourself of your own vastness today?