We are not our thoughts

Imagine an empty house with several windows and rooms, devoid of furniture. People can enter to visit and leave whenever they want. Now, close all the doors and windows. Even though the visitors are locked inside the house, they are still not the house itself. Regardless of the time spent inside, the house and the people within it simply coexist.

Similarly, during our practice and performances, we experience feelings of frustration and fear. Often, we tend to “close our windows” and trap ourselves in these thoughts, engaging in negative self-talk after every mistake. Eventually, we start believing these thoughts define who we are. However, we are not our feelings, no matter how prolonged their presence. We are the house, and the feelings are just the people within it, waiting for the doors to be opened so they can leave, making room for new visitors.

As I meditated today, I stopped trying to control or avoid passing feelings and simply accepted them. I felt like my windows and doors were completely open, and I noticed that none of these thoughts and worries lingered long in my mind.

While being focused, positive, and productive in our practice is our goal, it's crucial to realize that this is not the typical experience for most of us, most of the time. Experiencing frustration, lack of motivation, fear of failure, low self-esteem, and mental fatigue are entirely normal in the challenging process of learning any skill and stepping out of our comfort zone. Acknowledging and accepting these feelings doesn't mean you have to “like” them, but understanding that they are normal, and like anything else entering our empty house, they will eventually fade away - only to return inevitably.