When my mind is the driver…

My mind is the driver, and my body is the vehicle I travel in through this experience of life.

So often, we’re under the illusion that our feelings come from the outside world—when in truth, we’re only ever experiencing our thinking about the outside world.

Realising that my feelings come solely from my thoughts has given me an incredible sense of freedom. It means I have some choice in how I respond and how I feel. That doesn’t mean I never get caught up—I definitely do. But even when I’m stuck, I know where my feelings are coming from.

Here’s a simple example:

I used to feel anxious driving on the freeway in LA. I thought it was the fast-moving traffic that was making me nervous. But through this understanding, I came to see that it wasn’t the traffic—it was the fearful thoughts I was having about the traffic.

That realisation made all the difference.

Once I recognised that the anxiety was coming from inside me—not from the cars around me—I could let the thoughts pass, just as easily as they had arrived. I didn’t need to fight them or fix them. I simply allowed them to move through. As a result, the fear started to dissolve. And now, I rarely feel anxious driving on the freeway at all.

The truth is, we are designed to return to a neutral, balanced state of mind—if we stop giving unhelpful thoughts so much attention.

I’m at the wheel of my state of mind.

And I get to decide which way to turn.