Today brought a lesson that I keep relearning. I was having a productive, focused day, and then a thought crossed my mind. It was small, triggered by a minor event, but it was just enough to start a subtle spiral downward. I caught myself slipping into that familiar place of worry and anxiety—the one that creeps up so quietly that, if you don’t notice, you suddenly find yourself overwhelmed without knowing how you got there.
But today was different. I caught it. I stopped, paused, and looked at what was really happening. The thing that was causing me worry wasn’t even real—it was just a projection, a fabrication of my mind doing what minds do when they’re left unchecked. So, I interrupted the spiral, stepped outside, went for a walk, looked at the sky and the trees, and gently brought myself back. Back to the present, to calm, to clarity.
I call that spiraling up. Instead of letting the mind drag me down, I chose to climb out—to lift myself into a state where things are simply okay. Because the truth is, most of the time, everything is okay. Even when it’s not perfect, even when challenges are there, in the moment, right now, we are okay. It’s a simple realization but a powerful one.
And the real key? Catching the spiral early enough. Before it gains momentum. Before it pulls you under. To choose, again and again, to spiral up.
Do you notice when the spiral starts for you?