Reflective Essay: Differences Across The World

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The boys were screaming at each other. “Eli, stop it! You aren’t being fair!”, Calvin yelled, tears angrily streaming down his small cheeks. Months ago, I might have yelled back, “Boys, enough! You have both lost the privilege to get candy”, ending the fight through my own frustration. Alternatively, I chose to take the place of an observer in the situation and gave myself time to react mindfully. Instead of punishing the boys I facilitated a healthy conversation and encouraged each boy to kindly and fully listen to his brother as he explained his respective side of the story. This discussion cultivated gratitude in all of us for our differences in navigating the world and brought us to a state of acceptance from which we were able to move …show more content…

While I excelled in school, I was having trouble focusing in my classes because my mind was constantly racing through my lists of things to do, unable to listen and engage in the present moment. As a result, I did not gain as much from my classes as I could have in retrospect if I had been present. I often did my work under a blanket of confusion, fearing that asking for help would compromise my respectability and intelligence. During this time of high stress, I began practicing yoga and meditation. While my goal was to strengthen my body and mind, I could never have imagined how these practices nurtured my ability to be present and show up in the world as my authentic self. Poses that I feared mastering came with ease as I continued practicing and I began to believe that maybe I was stronger than I gave myself credit for- that I had the power to achieve anything I set my mind to. This sense of genuine fearlessness and self-empowerment trickled into my life in ways I never anticipated. I began to listen deeply in my classes, noticing myself checking the clock or thinking about my to-do lists a little bit less than usual. I started to realize that what I had to offer or contribute to class discussions was valuable- why hide my thoughts out of fear of embarrassment or shame? Through this increased focus and participation, both my practical knowledge and my

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